CocoNene to raise money for fire-affected Maui Businesses with “Maui Biz Ornaments”

CocoNene, the renowned local brand, will be launching “Maui Biz Ornaments,” inspired by their sister brand HI Biz Ornaments, an initiative that will provide a helping hand to Maui businesses affected by the devastating wildfires in Lahaina. Through this partnership, the community can show their support for these businesses and help them rebuild.

The collection of wooden collectable ornaments will feature participating Maui businesses and will be available for purchase starting on Nov. 3, 2023 on the HI Biz website. What makes this initiative truly remarkable is that 50% of the sales from these ornaments will be channeled directly to the affected businesses, aiding their efforts to recover and rebuild. The website will also feature each participating business, so customers can support them directly. 

The impact of the wildfires on Lahaina’s economy has been profound. Thousands of business owners, operators, employees, suppliers, and vendors relied on the once-thriving tourism economy in this iconic town.

According to the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, Lahaina hosted nearly 1,000 businesses, constituting almost 20% of all establishments on Maui.

Many of these businesses were reduced to ashes during the fires, while others sustained significant revenue losses. CocoNene was not immune to this devastation. Their flagship store on Front Street, which accounted for 50% of the brand’s sales, was destroyed. Despite these adversities, the spirit of CocoNene remains unbroken. They have a comprehensive plan to rebuild, and the “Maui Biz Ornaments” initiative is an integral part of their plan to help other affected businesses do the same.

“As small business owners in Lahaina, we felt a tremendous desire to help fellow Maui small businesses that have been impacted by the recent wildfires on Maui,” said founders Kent and Lori Untermann. “We aspire to create made in Hawaiʻi products to honor these establishments and share 50% of the sales with the participating businesses to help them rebuild and heal. We know that the process of rebuilding Lahaina will be long, and we look forward to the day we can welcome people back to this special place.”

The “Maui Biz Ornaments” initiative not only aims to raise brand awareness and visibility for Maui businesses but, more importantly, to raise funds that will benefit the businesses participating in this program. The initiative also underscores CocoNene’s commitment to support its Lahaina team and the 150 local families they employ, along with their fellow Maui businesses.

If your business has been affected by the Maui wildfires and you would like to join this initiative, visit their website to sign up at: https://hibizornaments.com/pages/maui-biz-sign-up Affected businesses are encouraged to sign up until Nov. 3, 2023. Maui Biz aims to help Maui businesses rebuild and recover, as every little bit helps.