Hawaiian Council opens vendor interest form for ʻUlu o Lele Marketplace in Lahaina

Hawaiian Council announced today that it has opened a Vendor Interest Form for businesses, nonprofits, cultural practitioners, farmers, food vendors and other prospective participants interested in being part of ʻUlu o Lele, a new interim marketplace and community gathering space planned for the former Outlets of Maui site in Lahaina.

The Vendor Interest Form is the first step in the vendor selection process and will help the ʻUlu o Lele Advisory Committee better understand community interest, business readiness, operational needs and the types of vendors interested in participating. Information gathered through the form, along with guidance from the advisory committee, will help shape the formal Request for Proposals, which will be released at a later date.

ʻUlu o Lele, meaning “Growth of Lele,” honors Lahaina’s traditional name and is being developed to help restore economic opportunity, support local businesses and create a community gathering space while long-term rebuilding continues.

“ʻUlu o Lele was shaped by what we heard from Lahaina families, businesses and community leaders,” said Kūhiō Lewis, CEO of Hawaiian Council. “The Vendor Interest Form is the next step in that community-driven process, giving prospective vendors a chance to share their needs, readiness and vision before the full RFP is finalized. That input, along with guidance from the advisory committee, will help ensure the vendor selection process reflects Lahaina and supports local businesses, culture, commerce and community.”

The Vendor Interest Form asks prospective vendors to provide information about their business, connection to Lahaina, wildfire impacts, interest in the marketplace, readiness to operate, potential space needs and vision for contributing to an authentic Lahaina experience.

It also asks whether businesses would be open to shared retail, cooperative marketplace, rotating pop-up or seasonal participation models.

Completing the form is not an application and does not guarantee participation in ʻUlu o Lele. A formal RFP will follow after the advisory committee reviews the information received and provides guidance on the next phase of the vendor process.

The Vendor Interest Form is available at www.uluolele.com and will be open from Thursday, July 16, through Sunday, July 26, 2026.

Hawaiian Council also announced the formation of the ʻUlu o Lele Advisory Committee, which will help ensure the vendor process is guided by community voices and reflects Lahaina’s needs, culture and business community. Committee members include:

• Mikey Burke, Lahaina Community Land Trust
• Tambara Garrick, Lahaina Town Action Committee
• Joel Navarro, Maui Pono Foundation
• Nestor Ugale Jr., Kaibigan Ng Lāhaina
• Jade Rojas-Letisi, County of Maui Office of Economic Development

The committee recommended beginning with a Vendor Interest Form before releasing the full RFP, allowing prospective vendors to provide early input that will guide the next phase of the process. 

“The advisory committee wanted to begin with an interest form because we need to hear directly from local business owners, artists, cultural practitioners, farmers and entrepreneurs who want to be part of ‘Ulu o Lele,” said Mikey Burke, chair of the ‘Ulu o Lele Advisory Committee. “This step will help us understand who is ready, what support may be needed and how this marketplace can best serve Lahaina. We encourage anyone interested to share their input so the next phase of the process is informed by the people who know this community best.” 

Located at the former Outlets of Maui site, ʻUlu o Lele is expected to support approximately 25 to 50 local vendors and help sustain an estimated 90 jobs during the interim two-year recovery period. Priority will be given to Lahaina- and Maui-based businesses, particularly locally owned businesses that reflect Lahaina’s culture, identity and community character.

In addition to retail vendors, ʻUlu o Lele is envisioned as a gathering place featuring cultural demonstrations, farmers markets, nonprofit and community pop-ups, local food vendors, music, entertainment and family-friendly activities for residents and visitors.

Prospective vendors interested in participating in ʻUlu o Lele are encouraged to complete the Vendor Interest Form by Sunday, July 26, 2026.

For more information or to complete the Vendor Interest Form, visit www.uluolele.com.