Louis Hachiya was born on July 10, 1972, in Hilo, Hawaii, as the third generation of a Japanese-American family. His grandparents immigrated to Hawaii in the early 20th century, working on sugarcane plantations before opening a small shop in Hilo. By the time Louis was born, his family had achieved modest middle-class stability, running a modestly-successful hardware store.

 

Growing up, Louis developed a deep appreciation for discipline and structure, values instilled by his father, Hiroshi, a skilled woodworker, and his mother, Aiko, who helped Hiroshi run the family's store. From a young age, he was given responsibilities in the family store, learning to stock shelves, assist customers, and balance accounts under the watchful eye of his father.

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Academically, Louis distinguished himself as a top-performing student. Known for his impeccable work ethic, he graduated near the top of his class, earning a reputation for his reliability. At the behest of his parents, Louis was also deeply involved in extracurricular activities. In addition to playing the cello in the school orchestra, Louis competed on the varsity tennis team, math league, and participated in a bottle-collection program to help build schools in sub-Saharan Africa.

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After high school, Louis enrolled at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, majoring in Mathematics. Despite his fascination with the subject, however, he had no interest in pursuing graduate school, which severely limited his job prospects in the field, especially on the island. To make ends meet while deciding his next move, he took a part-time job as a stock associate at a newly-opened Cloud 9 Superstore in Hilo.

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From day one at Cloud 9, Louis discovered that the fast-paced, system-driven world of retail sales resonated with the same principles he loved about mathematics: structure, efficiency, and problem-solving. He enjoyed extrapolating patterns from sales data, following processes, and troubleshooting logistical challenges.

 

After joining the company in 1996, he quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a floor supervisor within two years, and a merchandise manager shortly after. In 2001, he relocated to California where he worked as an Assistant Store Manager for five years, rotating between several stores. His structured thinking and commitment to efficiency eventually earned him the role of Store Manager in 2006. In 2011, he relocated to Greenfield where he assumed control of Store #1144.