K. T. Ching Store

Blazing pink with bright green trim, the K. T. Ching store is a fine example of a vernacular, frame commercial building of the early twentieth century. With its imposing false front, ornamented with round-arched vents, rising above the sheltering corrugated-iron awning, the building is a commanding presence at the corner of Queen and Kamani streets. Constructed of six-inch tongue-and-groove, the four storefronts retain the transom-level ventilation slats above the shop windows. The corner unit's vertically sliding doors take advantage of Hawaii's semitropical climate to open up the interior. This door form was one of several vernacular solutions used to encourage easy access and enhanced ventilation in small commercial stores. Alternate forms commonly found in Honolulu include folding doors, sliding doors, and removable panels.