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Old 04-08-2013, 09:00 PM
michelej1 michelej1 is offline
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Hawaii Business, April 8, 2013
http://www.hawaiibusiness.com/Hawaii...iness-on-Maui/

Celebrities get down to business on Maui

Open for business are Gene Simmons of Kiss, Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac, former Van Halen front man Sammy Hagar, and Basketball Hall of Fame member and former NBA coach Don Nelson

By Lehia Apana

Open any celebrity magazine and you’ll likely find photos of stars living it up in Hawaii: lounging behind oversize sunglasses, playing in the surf or sipping on an umbrella-adorned drink. But not every famous person who visits the Islands is focused just on rest and relaxation. The itineraries of some A-list entrepreneurs include everything from business meetings to product sampling.

Nowhere is this influx of celebrity businesses more evident than on Maui, where several stars have decided to work and play, including rockers-turned-restaurateurs Gene Simmons of Kiss, Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac and former Van Halen front man Sammy Hagar, who also produces his own line of rum. Basketball Hall of Fame member and former coach Don Nelson is also betting on success with his oceanfront events facility. Then there’s the queen of media, Oprah Winfrey, who has filed a number of trademark applications and appears to be gearing up to sell organic products from her Upcountry farm.

[omitted parts of the article not related to Mick]
Drumming Up Success

Mick Fleetwood, right, with Scott Leibfried, corporate chef at Fleetwood's on Front St.

Fleetwood, a full-time Maui resident and newcomer to the Lahaina restaurant landscape, has lent his famous moniker to Fleetwood’s on Front St., which opened in August 2012. It’s no surprise that music has helped define the restaurant, and diners can enjoy live entertainment nightly on the rooftop lounge. The opening celebration saw jam sessions by drummer Fleetwood, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and blues guitarist Jonny Lang, among others.

In addition to his famous friends taking the stage, Fleetwood has enlisted the culinary talents of celebrity chef Scott Leibfried, sous chef on the “Hell’s Kitchen” reality show. As Fleetwood’s on Front St.’s corporate chef, Leibfried helped create the menu and is working with Fleetwood to write a cookbook that could be on shelves sometime this year.

For the record, Fleetwood’s business history hasn’t been perfect. He blames a failed restaurant venture about two decades ago on the fact that he “wasn’t present” in its daily operations.

“You can’t do this without really being involved, and it’s not advisable to sort of slap your name on it and disappear,” he says, adding that he visits the restaurant up to four nights a week.

“I’m just not one of those public figures who hides from people. I’m very open and I think that is no doubt necessary when running a business,” says Fleetwood. “If you’re going to be there, you can’t mind taking pictures, talking to customers and asking them how we can make it better.

“I’m that person, so if I was frightened and annoyed at people coming up to me all the time, this would not be the business to be in.”

Fleetwood is currently on a four-month North American tour with Fleetwood Mac, but has plans to keep in touch with the restaurant virtually while he’s away.

“We’re going to have fun doing audio and video linkups to my dressing room so I can say hello to people behind the bar,” he explains.

Beyond the restaurant, Fleetwood has plans to open a retail shop in the same building that will feature a wine gallery, food and creations from local artists, including some of Fleetwood’s own art.
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