Since his arrival in Hawaii as a sixteen old immigrant, Eddie Flores Jr., president of L & L restaurant chain, has distinguished himself as a successful entrepreneur and a community activist. The early years were very trying, and Eddie was compelled to work to support himself. Two years after his graduation from University of Hawaii, he unleashed his entrepreneurial spirit and formed his own real estate company. In 1976, he purchased his first L & L as a gift to his mother. Subsequently, Eddie expanded L & L from a single store into 145 restaurants during a time of unprecedented economic hardship in Hawaii. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the way Flores runs his business is his generosity and unselfishness. Eddie has provided loans, credit, and lease guarantee for his employees in the L & L restaurant chain so they can share the same American dream.
In 1998, Eddie won the State of Hawaii Small Business Administration - Small Businessperson of the Year, which epitomized his success in business. For many years, Eddie has served as the chairperson of the Small Business Assistance Program for the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, which awarded him the Entrepreneur of the Year. Eddie was also awarded the University of Hawaii Distinguished Alumni Award, Presidential Citation for Filipino Individuals & Organizations Overseas, Junior Achievement Wall of Fame, Best in Business: Business Leadership Hawaii and Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year for Food and Beverage.
Importantly, Eddie has not forgotten his roots. Eddie established the Filipino Fiesta and Parade in 1993. He has served as the chairman for ten years and raised funds for the festivities annually. Eddie was the prime mover in building and raising 14.2 million dollars for the Filipino Community Center, which opened in 2002. He wrote and taught on a regular basis the micro-enterprise training series for the Filipino Community Center, Inc.
Listen to his interview on Greater Good Radio.
