BOUNTIFUL—There’s something unique about Hawaii, isn’t there? Everyone who has had the opportunity to visit comes back completely enchanted by the Spirit of Aloha, and many immediately begin to make plans to return. While that may be cost-prohibitive, there are ways to bring the Spirit of Aloha to the day-to-day, even here in landlocked Davis County. 

For co-founders, and brothers Kimo and Kalani Mack, the Spirit of Aloha isn’t just a saying, it’s been their business model since they opened their first restaurant right here in Bountiful in 2008. Even before the interview started, the founders took the time to greet, and speak with the employees at that first location, and really talk with each of them, not just saying hello.

While their organization has expanded to dozens of locations in multiple states, Mo’ Bettahs is truly a Davis County original, and it took a lot of hard work to get it where it is today. “We left Hawaii because Hawaii is expensive, and the cost of living there, even in the late 90s was crazy,” Kalani Mack, who left Hawaii first, said. “We couldn't buy a house and I just felt deep down inside, we were supposed to be someplace else.”

So, he picked up, and moved, along with his wife, and two small children in 1998 to Utah. Despite the difference of several thousand miles, his brother, Kalani, was feeling very similar. “I myself never really knew where I was supposed to be, like, what my calling was, you know, I didn't know. But he and I would always talk and I had my connection to him.” With only a matter of months of age difference between them, it makes sense the brothers would be close.

Many with a close brother living so far apart might reminisce about old times, or give updates on home and family, but Kimo and Kalani would talk business ideas. Dedicated to self-improvement, Kalani was an avid reader. “I started reading,” he said. “I started reading a lot of books and I came across a book called Rich Dad, Poor Dad, by Robert Kiyosaki, and I shared it with (Kimo) and he started reading.” 

The book, a treatise on financial literacy, independence, and starting your own business, was authored by a native Hawaiian, Robert Kiyosaki, and resonated greatly with both brothers. They talked about it constantly, and, despite the physical distance between them, began applying its principles, “Make a list of all the ideas you have, whether they're dumb, stupid, whatever. Just make a list of what you think you could do. You could build a business top 10 list, so to speak. And (Kiyosaki) says, statistically, if you start going through that list, you start with number one, start that business. By the time you get down to the 10, you should have a good business that sticks and is starting to generate cash flow for you.”

These ideas started to percolate and to resonate, and despite a 15-year career driving a bus on Oahu, Kalani said it was time. “I wasn’t happy with the idea that I was gonna wake up at age 65 one day, and realize I spent 40 something years being a bus driver, and I just felt like I was more capable of other things…I woke up to the idea that you know, if something’s gonna happen, it ain’t gonna appear one day, you got to make it happen,” he said. “And I realized just through some of the things I was reading and just some of the things I felt that hey, we've been blessed with certain talents and abilities, and it’s up to me to use them.”

That’s when Mo’ Bettahs kicked off like a whirlwind. Kimo and Kalani agreed that they could both cook, and it was something they enjoyed, but that they didn’t want to start the restaurant in Hawaii, but rather in Utah, where the market seemed a little more welcoming to new businesses. In 2008, Kimo followed his brother's footsteps, and in April, put in his two weeks’ notice, and literally, the day after his last day of work was on a flight to the Beehive State.

“And the morning I got here he picked me up from the airport and we came to this restaurant,” said Kimo. Seeing the dedication of his brother really solidified things for Kalani who quit his own job without even letting his wife know beforehand. The brothers poured their heart and soul into building the restaurant they envisioned, and in a staggeringly short time, they opened on July 14, 2008.

“I've never been in business before but I intuitively knew that we needed to get this store open as quick as possible,” said Kimo. “So that became kind of our thing. (Even now), every time we open a new location, it's like ‘Okay, what is it going to take to get us to where we can open the doors and start cooking food?’” and the people of Bountiful have been loving it ever since. They’re not the only ones.

Since that first location in Bountiful, Mo’ Bettahs has expanded to over 40 different locations, in half a dozen states, and they’re not done yet. The brothers mentioned that before the end of the year, they’ll likely hit 50 different locations around the country. What’s the secret? Two key ingredients, the first being: keeping it simple.

Patrons of Mo’ Bettahs have no doubt noticed that the menu seems fairly limited, especially when compared to other Hawaiian restaurants. This is by design, “we based our concept around a backyard party,” said Kimo, “these items are timeless.” Patrons definitely won’t find pineapple in any Mo’ Bettahs location, but they will find classic Hawaiian fare, prepared just the way Kimo and Kalani learned in the Aloha State, which is the other secret ingredient.

“We’re letting people into our world,” said Kimo. “It’s how we connect with our culture.” The brothers explained that everything in Mo’ Bettahs from the food to the decor is based on the Spirit of Aloha, good vibes, and island style: the kind of place people might find on the islands. That, said the brothers, has been one of the most rewarding things about the whole experience: the opportunity to share with many communities, that unique feeling of love, community and culture that is unique to Hawaii.