Maui Business

With National Small Business Week (April 29-May 3) coming up, a number of workshops and programs are available to small businesses of Maui to build skills and connections. Co-presented by Maui Economic Development Board, workshops include helping sub-contractors to work with government; teaching how to use Quickbooks for business; building a capability statement; and exploring the work of the Maui Food Innovation Center.

The Construction Industry of Maui today announced that it donated $26,000 to Maui High School this past week to benefits its high school construction vocational programs. The funds raised at CIM’s first annual golf tournament last September, a total of $50,500, includes the $26,000 disbursement to Maui High School. The second annual golf tournament is scheduled for Sept. 28 at The Dunes Maui Lani Golf Course.

In 2023, Matson contributed $6 million in cash, services and equipment support to organizations in Hawaiʻi, Guam/Micronesia and the South Pacific, with the largest concentration of giving in Maui disaster relief and community support at $1.7 million.

Gas prices statewide continue to increase slowly, according to the AAA Hawaiʻi Weekend Gas Watch. The statewide average price for regular unleaded is $4.81, three cents higher than last week. The national average gas price is $3.66, one cent lower than last week. 

The vacation rental unit supply on Maui continued to be impacted by the Aug. 8, 2023 wildfires. The information and data was part of the state Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism’s March 2024 Hawai‘i Vacation Rental Performance Report released today.

Pacific Media Group hosts a Job Fair on Saturday, April 27 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Queen Kaʻahumanu Center in Kahului. There will be 45 businesses looking to hire and raffle prizes for those applying.

Several Maui-based small businesses will participate in Mana Up’s inaugural Aloha Market from April 26-28 in SoHo, Manhattan, New York. The city will host the multi-day Hawai‘i-themed immersive shopping and cultural event, featuring 40 companies.

Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort, situated on Maui’s southwestern coastline along Mōkapu Beach, announced the completion of its enhanced room product. Marking the resort’s 10th anniversary, the refresh establishes a new decade for the property and includes a redesign of key components within the resort’s 320 guest rooms, including 35 suites.  

Lahaina will be the second Branch of Tomorrow on Maui. The first is Kīhei, which opened in 2017. Bank of Hawai‘i has served the people of Lahaina for nearly a century—beginning with its first branch in the area on Front Street in 1930. In addition to the new branch, Bank of Hawai‘i Foundation donated $100,000 to Hawai‘i Community Lending for the Lahaina Homeowner Recovery Program.

The Maui County Small Business Week starts on Sunday, April 28 and ends on Saturday, May 4, 2024. The 2024 MauiSBW program includes four educational events designed for one-person, mom-and-pop, micro to small size of businesses.

Slim’s Power Tools, Hawaiʻi’s largest locally owned power tool distributor, presents the 31st Annual He-Man Competition, set to take place on Saturday, at the storeʻs Kalepa Place location in Kahului, Maui.

In honor of National Volunteer Month, American Savings Bank hosted its 14th community clean-up event to beautify and revitalize the Chinatown-Kalihi neighborhood on Oʻahu. The event was held on Saturday and drew participation of 140 volunteers from eight organizations.

O‘ahu’s Melanie Shim, MD, and Maui’s Felicitas Livaudais, MD, were both recognized for their outstanding volunteer activities that improve community health and wellness.

Hawaiʻi Gas, the state’s only franchised gas utility, announced that it has expanded its executive team by welcoming Manu Bermudes in the role of Vice President of Human Resources.

Maui County hotel performance remains affected by the aftermath of the August wildfires, reports the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, but the county still led the state in revenue per available room in March due to comparatively higher average daily rate. 

Fairmont Kea Lani celebrates Earth Day with specials at Pilina to benefit Skyline Conservation through the resortʻs Rooted in Aloha program.

Hawai‘i Energy, the state’s energy conservation program, last week announced the hiring of Dan Mestas as principal development engineer, and Travis Hiramoto and Melissa Onishi as energy advisors.

Wolfgang’s Steakhouse by Wolfgang Zwiener made its long anticipated debut on Maui at The Shops at Wailea last week.

Maui-based nonprofit Oni Foundation Inc. opens its new Wonderful World of Aloha 4,000-square-foot multicultural dance and activities center at the Queen Kaʻahumanu Center in Kahului. The dance and activities center opens May 1, 2024, offering cultural dance and hands-on learning experiences for kamaʻāina and visitors. 

The Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association (NaHHA), with support from funds issued through a joint partnership between the Office of Indian Economic Development (OIED) and the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA), has been awarded $50,000 in NATIVE Act funding to provide workforce development trainings based in the foundational values of the Hawaiian culture.