Four new businesses ring in the new year, one bids farewell
BY SKYLER OBISPO Journal Staff
The start of the new year brings a host of new businesses to offer products that the island has seldom seen.
Chief Energy Partners is a renewable energy-based family-run, small business born out of the need for a reliable energy solution after Typhoon Mawar had struck the island in 2023.
NowellThe company’s president, Joe C. Nowell, who also works as a property and projects manager for Ada’s Trust and Investments Inc., told the Journal that when the typhoon hit the island, the company could not find generators for its properties and wait times for new ones to arrive was at least 160 to 190 days. Peter P. “Sonny” Ada, president of Ada’s Trust and Investments Inc., tasked Nowell with finding an alternative source of energy storage where he discovered the Bluetti EP900.
The EP900 is a modular, medium sized, energy storage system that provides backup power in the event of a power outage which can be powered by the local power grid, solar panels, or generators designed for residential or light commercial use.
Nowell said direct current power is converted through the EP900 to alternating current power and is stored in the storage systems. It will begin feeding power into a building within 10 minutes.
Initial investment by Nowell and his team of six was about $200,000 and first shipments of the EP900 arrived around October 2023, he said. To date the company has installed over 20 systems across residential and commercial clients with an ongoing commercial project valued at $370,000.
What separates the EP900 from other battery systems on the island is how it is installed.
“Most batteries [that] are connected to solar panels are tied in before the panel; the EP900 is tied in after the load,” Nowell said. Customers can use existing solar panels to charge the batteries or add more units to the EP900 to increase the system’s capacity.
TerlajeNowell said with the system installed at his home, he is able to save about $200 a month on his power bill.
The business model of Chief Energy Partners centers around education.
Austin R. Terlaje, business and operations manager at Chief Energy Partners; said, “A big part of our business is really educating the consumers on how to be more sustainable.”
Most of the time spent with customers is centered around how they could be more energy efficient through making changes within the home regarding power consumption, he said.
In future, Nowell hopes to find ways to make the technology more accessible to residents who lack the means of having reliable power.
“There’re opportunities out there. There are grants that we would just have to look for and try to help them,” Nowell said.The EP900 is a modular energy storage system. Photo courtesy of Bluetti
Rocky’s Pet Supply, a pet retail store under WSTCO Quality Feed, opened a second location in Hågat on Jan.15.
WSTCO told the Journal that it chose to open a new store “for the convenience of our customers who live in the southern part of the island.”
Angelica Villanueva, store manager of the new location; told the Journal that since the store opened, it has been receiving many new customers from the southern half of the island. Additionally, she said that tourists come into the store to buy pet accessories like leashes or dog tags to bring home.
Renovating the 3,000 sq ft. space took about six months and the investment was roughly $400,000.
At the Micronesia Mall two businesses opened to bring both Japanese baked goods and a playground for children to enjoy.
The Bread Bar by Okayama Kobo held a soft opening on Jan. 12 and is a Japanese style bakery which aims to bring authentic Japanese baked goods through traditions of Okayama Kobo, with influence from Guam.
The bakery promotes its goods as preservative and additive free and imports flour from Japan.
A grand opening was held on Jan. 10 at the Micronesia Mall’s Center Court for its newest indoor playground: PlayworX Guam.
It is located on the second floor of the mall’s center court and features areas for young children and infants to enjoy. Features include a ball pit, slides and a two-level soft obstacle course. Rocky’s Pet Supply opened in Hågat on Jan. 15 to serve Southern Guam. Richelle Yu Canto, PlayworX’s managing partner; said in a release the staff envisioned a place where children can grow their fine and gross motor skills through play, one of the key tenets going into the playground’s development. Additionally, Canto wanted a place for children to have fun safely and for parents to have peace of mind.
She highlighted that alongside a place where children can play and socialize, she wanted a place that is safe. “Most important to us was ensuring a safe and clean environment, so we require the rubberized socks for entry, and we make sure our equipment is cleaned regularly,” Canto said.
Bread Bar by Okayama Kobo opened at the Micronesia Mall on Jan. 12. In other business news, the island bids farewell to a surf and skate shop rooted in the island’s watersports community for more than 40 years.
Primo Surf will close its doors in about a month according Linda Yoemans, its owner, who spoke with the paper in early January.
Yeomans said with tourism still trying to get back on its feet, plus rising overhead costs, it made it difficult to keep the business open.
A large market for Primo Surf was Japanese tourism. According to the latest figures from the Guam Visitors Bureau, Japanese arrivals in December are 65% lower than before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There is almost zero-foot traffic, especially in Agana Shopping Center,” Yeomans said.
Primo Surf opened in October 1988 and was one of the first stores to take root in the Micronesia Mall. Outside of its regular retail sales, Yeomans said Primo Surf has supported the military through the Morale Welfare and Recreation programs.
Despite its two locations closing, Yeomans said the business will still be accepting purchase orders for organizations to buy watersport merchandise. mbj
