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It’s difficult to resist the temptation to request a table for two when entering Neil Abercrombie‘s campaign headquarters at Ward Warehouse — and maybe order the Wagon Wheel Sampler Platter as an appetizer.

Abercrombie’s gubernatorial HQ, after all, is located in the same second-level spot occupied by the former Stuart Anderson’s Cattle Company Restaurant for 28 years.

The space still has booths with tables, stained-glass windows, a bar and kitchen, and lots of wood paneling. A cowboy cooking over a fire is etched on the entrance doors. Fittingly, there is a large “A” on an interior wall.

“It stands for ‘Abercrombie,'” jokes campaign spokeswoman Laurie Au.

It’s an election year, the season when empty facilities across the state are temporarily occupied by politicians, staff and volunteers. In Honolulu, that usually means along Kapiolani Boulevard, home to Ala Moana Center and a host of strip bars. Gov. Linda Lingle had past campaign headquarters on Kapiolani, as did former Gov. Ben Cayetano.

This year, however, the three leading candidates to succeed Lingle — Abercrombie, fellow Democrat Mufi Hannemann and Republican James “Duke” Aiona — have chosen headquarters somewhat off the beaten path. Civil Beat visited each to handicap the pros and cons of the locations and to gain a little insight into what their digs might say about the candidates.

Abercrombie Campaign Headquarters

Ward Warehouse, 1050 Ala Moana Blvd., Ste. 2150
589-2237

The Honolulu headquarters was officially opened March 9, about 10 days after Abercrombie stepped down from his 1st Congressional seat. But the campaign had been at Ward Warehouse since Thanksgiving, and before that in a small office near the Democratic Party of Hawaii headquarters, also on the second floor of the shopping complex.

The advantages to Ward Warehouse are tons of parking and tons of shops. Kincaid’s Fish Chop & Steak and the Old Spaghetti Factory are neighbors. Downtown and KHON studios are not far away.

Personal touches inside the headquarters: Large photos of Abercrombie with President Obama and the First Lady, and a framed drawing of the candidate when he still had long, dark hair.

One big negative: Abercrombie’s campaign headquarters are not identifiable from either Ala Moana Boulevard, Ward Avenue or Auahi Street, three heavily trafficked city streets. Au said General Growth, which rents the Abercrombie office for $3,000 a month, prohibits signage.

Abercrombie also has offices on Kuhio Highway in Lihue, Kauai; at Bougainvillea Plaza along Kuakini Highway in Kailua-Kona, and on Keawe Street in Hilo, both on the Big Island. The campaign officially opens its Maui headquarters Friday on Main Street in Wailuku.

Hannemann Campaign Headquarters

1450 S. Beretania St.
791-6530

Hannemann’s campaign headquarters is located in the former Pflueger Acura showroom on Beretania Street, adjacent to Ace Auto Used Cars. (“We buy cars — cash, cash cash,” reads a sign. Insert obligatory joke about trusting used-car salesmen and pols here.)

It’s a great location because drivers heading downtown on the one-way street can’t miss a large poster of Hannemann, his “Mufi” signature, and the red and white hibiscus he has adopted as a campaign symbol. Because of the large glass walls fronting Beretania, passersby can also look right into the office. Talk about transparency!

The interior is spacious, clean and airy, with a high ceiling — a must-have for a candidate who is 6-foot-7. There are phone banks, a P.A. system, large television screens and a karaoke machine, which staff told Civil Beat has already gotten some use. (Mayor Hannemann is an unabashed singer.)

Because Hannemann only declared his candidacy May 27, the headquarters doesn’t yet feel broken in. But it’s set to deliver: Plastic chairs are stacked in a back room, as are dozens of campaign signs ready to be deployed at a moment’s notice. In addition to Hannemann imagery and red T-shirts there are also several campaign signs for Sen. Daniel K. Inouye‘s re-election this year.

Hannemann’s campaign chairman, Dean Okimoto, said through a spokeswoman that the site’s visibility, space and parking were big reasons for its selection.

“The parking is hugely important for the volunteers,” said Okimoto. “And also what makes everyone happy is we are close to a market.”

That would be the Foodland next door, which has a great selection of poke (Ahu Limu, $8.49 a pound), bottled water (a case of Hawaiian Isle for $5.99) and wine ($11.99 for a 2006 Kenwood merlot).

Other pluses: Hannemann’s headquarters is next to a bus stop and close to a recycling center, senior housing, a noodle shop, two hair salons, three gas-and-convenience stores, and a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Nearby arterials are Punahou and Keeaumoku streets and Kalakaua Avenue. Media outlets in the neighborhood include Hawaii Public Radio and KITV — convenient for those last-minute press conferences.

The Hannemann campaign declined to say how much rent it was paying for the Beretania headquarters. It also has offices in Kahului Shopping Center (next to Ah Fook’s Super Market) on Maui; on Kuhio Highway in Lihue; and on Kilauea Avenue in Hilo and Kopiko Street in Kailua-Kona.

Aiona Campaign Headquarters

Nimitz Center, 1130 N. Nimitz Hwy., Suite A-151
(808) 557-7333

“We chose our North Nimitz location because it’s important to Duke Aiona to be close to working families and small businesses,” said campaign communications director Travis Taylor. “Our new headquarters is centrally located, it’s easy to access, has good visibility and plenty of parking.”

Like Hannemann’s headquarters, Aiona’s is new, officially opening May 22 and just expanded into a space next door formerly occupied by Shelby’s Sweets. The headquarters is sure to be seen by drivers and passengers in cars and trucks chugging along multi-lane Nimitz.

The main interior office has the feel of a cozy doctor’s office, with warm lighting and plants (but no magazines).There’s a quiet conference room, a kitchen area and an adjoining space currently being wired for phone banks and computers.

The Honolulu headquarters is actually his second office. Aiona opened an East Hawaii office May 13 to emphasize the importance of neighbor island political support. Offices in West Hawaii, Kauai and Maui are planned to open over the next six weeks.

Among the benefits for the Aiona campaign being housed in the Nimitz Center: A Subway store, New Eagle Cafe, Siam Garden Cafe, and shops to style hair, make signs and fix computers. It’s also just a few doors down from Sensually Yours (wall quote from Thoreau: “There is no remedy for love but to love more”).

Nearby: The Hawaii News Now studio. Aiona’s headquarters is also closer to Honolulu International Airport than his would-be opponents.

Taylor said he did not know how much the campaign was paying for the site. An office worker said he thought the location was formerly occupied by a kitchen cabinet store.