# Hall of Fame Spotlight: Kane and Linda Fernandez **Source:** Replay Magazine **Type:** article **Published:** 2026-04-11 **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.replaymag.com/hall-of-fame-spotlight-kane-and-linda-fernandez/ --- ## Analysis Linda Hernandez and her late husband Kane Fernandez were inducted into the Amusement Industry Hall of Fame for their decades operating Fun Factory, a Hawaiian entertainment empire that began with Kane's father E.K. in the early 20th century. The family business expanded from vaudeville and circus entertainment to include the first amusement ride in Hawaii, and in 1977 evolved into Fun Factory, an indoor family entertainment center that grew to multiple locations across Hawaii and 12 mainland states. After Kane's death in 2001, Linda took leadership and continues to operate Fun Factory and 50th State Coin-Op, maintaining the family's four-generation legacy in entertainment and coin-operated machines. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] E.K. Fernandez created Hawaii's first vaudeville act, first ice show, first rodeo, first amusement ride and first circus — _Pete Gustafson, AAMA Executive Vice President, describing E.K.'s pioneering entertainment ventures in Hawaii_ - [HIGH] Kane and Linda Fernandez created Fun Factory in 1977 as a large indoor family entertainment center — _Replay Magazine article text_ - [HIGH] Fun Factory expanded to 12 states on the mainland starting in 1981 — _Replay Magazine article text_ - [HIGH] Kane Fernandez passed away in 2001 — _Replay Magazine article text_ - [HIGH] Linda Fernandez continues to operate Fun Factory and 50th State Coin-Op under fourth-generation family leadership — _Replay Magazine article text_ ### Notable Quotes > "His earliest attempt was to film the lush island scenery and project the images on a bed sheet for the enjoyment of sugar plantation workers providing much-needed entertainment for them and their families." > — **Pete Gustafson, AAMA Executive Vice President** > _Illustrates E.K. Fernandez's entrepreneurial origins and commitment to entertainment as community service in early Hawaiian history_ > "When Kane passed and Linda took the wheel, she delighted everyone with her savvy on all their businesses and dove right in with the passion anyone who's ever worked with her knows soon as they start up a coin-op conversation." > — **Eddie Adlum, RePlay Publisher** > _Underscores Linda Fernandez's leadership capabilities and deep expertise in the coin-op industry following her husband's death_ > "Few women in this or any other industry bring the verve and devotion to the companies under their command as Linda does, both here and in the islands." > — **Eddie Adlum, RePlay Publisher** > _Highlights Linda Fernandez's exceptional leadership and industry prominence as a female operator and executive_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Linda Fernandez | person | Co-founder and current leader of Fun Factory entertainment empire in Hawaii and mainland United States; inducted into Amusement Industry Hall of Fame | | Kane Fernandez | person | Co-founder of Fun Factory with Linda; deceased (2001); son of E.K. Fernandez; inducted into Amusement Industry Hall of Fame posthumously | | E.K. Fernandez | person | Kane's father; pioneer of entertainment in Hawaii; created Hawaii's first vaudeville act, ice show, rodeo, amusement ride, and circus | | Fun Factory | company | Indoor family entertainment center founded by Kane and Linda Fernandez in 1977; expanded to multiple locations in Hawaii and 12 mainland states | | 50th State Coin-Op | company | Coin-operated machine business operated by the Fernandez family, continues under Linda's leadership | | Pete Gustafson | person | AAMA Executive Vice President; provided historical context on E.K. Fernandez's pioneering entertainment ventures | | Eddie Adlum | person | RePlay Publisher; praised Linda Fernandez's leadership and industry expertise | | Amusement Industry Hall of Fame | organization | Industry recognition organization that inducted Kane and Linda Fernandez for their decades of entertainment business leadership | | AAMA | organization | Amusement industry association; Pete Gustafson serves as Executive Vice President | | Replay Magazine | company | Trade publication covering the amusement and coin-op industry; published this Hall of Fame spotlight | ### Topics - **Primary:** Amusement industry history and legacy, Family business transitions and multi-generational leadership - **Secondary:** Coin-op and arcade venue operations, Hawaii entertainment and business development, Women in amusement and coin-op industries ### Sentiment **Neutral** (0) ### Signals - **[business_signal]** Multi-generational family business (4 generations documented) in amusement and coin-op operations spanning over a century, with successful leadership transition from Kane to Linda Fernandez (confidence: high) — Linda Fernandez took leadership after Kane's death in 2001 and continues to operate Fun Factory and 50th State Coin-Op under fourth-generation family management - **[venue_signal]** Fun Factory expanded from single Hawaiian location (1977) to multi-state presence (12 mainland states by 1981), representing significant growth in family entertainment center operations (confidence: high) — Fun Factory centers opened throughout the islands, and in 1981, they expanded to the mainland where they opened locations in 12 states - **[industry_signal]** Linda Fernandez recognized for exceptional leadership in amusement and coin-op industries; industry observers note her devotion and savvy as exceptional among female executives (confidence: high) — Eddie Adlum stated: 'Few women in this or any other industry bring the verve and devotion to the companies under their command as Linda does' - **[historical_signal]** Documentation of early Hawaiian entertainment industry development through E.K. Fernandez's innovations: first vaudeville, ice show, rodeo, amusement ride, and circus in Hawaii (confidence: high) — E.K. Fernandez created Hawaii's first vaudeville act, first ice show, first rodeo, first amusement ride and first circus, beginning with projection entertainment for plantation workers --- ## Transcript Rooted in a family entertainment legacy that spans more than a century, Linda Hernandez and her late husband Kane were inducted together into the Amusement Industry Hall of Fame for their many decades running Fun Factory. The Hawaiian business started with Kane’s father, who went by E.K. He had left his father’s hardware store business in Honolulu to follow his passion for entertainment. “His earliest attempt was to film the lush island scenery and project the images on a bed sheet for the enjoyment of sugar plantation workers providing much-needed entertainment for them and their families,” said AAMA Executive Vice President Pete Gustafson. “This led to much bigger things, including Hawaii’s first vaudeville act, first ice show, first rodeo, first amusement ride and first circus. Kane grew up in the business – his first job selling peanuts at the circus. He met his wife, Linda, and the two carried on E.K.’s legacy and built an entertainment empire in Hawaii. In 1977, they created Fun Factory – a large indoor family entertainment center. Fun Factory centers opened throughout the islands, and in 1981, they expanded to the mainland where they opened locations in 12 states. Kane passed away in 2001 but under Linda’s leadership and the fourth generation of Fernandez family, Fun Factory (and their 50th State Coin-Op operation) continues to thrive today. RePlay Publisher Eddie Adlum added: “When Kane passed and Linda took the wheel, she delighted everyone with her savvy on all their businesses and dove right in with the passion anyone who’s ever worked with her knows soon as they start up a coin-op conversation. Few women in this or any other industry bring the verve and devotion to the companies under their command as Linda does, both here and in the islands.” _(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v5)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 6e593840-761c-4568-a156-bf0f97dd62b5*