Maui Business

FHLB Des Moines awarded $4 million to the Hawaiʻi Bankers Association who will regrant funds to the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund, the United Way of Maui and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement. FHLB Des Moines donated $1 million to the Valley Isle Chapter of the Hawaiʻi Credit Union League, who established the Credit Union Wildfire Relief Fund. This fund provides direct and immediate support to those in need, addressing their most pressing needs at any given time.

A month after sustaining the devastating effects of the wildfires that destroyed Lahaina and its neighboring communities, Depo Market– a handcrafted jewelry company employing adults with disabilities, is pleased to announce the official grand opening celebration for their long-awaited storefront location in Wailuku.

Along with celebrating the appointed, MHLA also recognized the wildfire relief efforts of its members during the Annual Meeting. Maui’s visitor industry is experiencing a daily economic loss of nearly $13 million a day since the August wildfires.

HawaiʻiUSA and Maui Oma Coffe Roasting Company created a custom coffee blend named ‘Imua,’ which appeared on store shelves this week. Proceeds from Imua Coffee purchases will go towards the nonprofit Imua Family Services.

The revamped MauiNuiFirst.com website offers businesses an expanded platform to showcase their products, services and activities.

Maui County hotels earned RevPAR of $294 (-30.4% vs. 2022, -3.8% vs. 2019), with ADR at $564 (-8.6% vs. 2022, +43.7% vs. 2019) and occupancy of 52.2% (-16.4 percentage points vs. 2022, -25.8 percentage points vs. 2019).

At the 20th annual Build Hawaiʻi Awards, Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company received the grand award for their outstanding work on Kō‘ula at Ward Village, a 41-story mixed-use development.

The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority is renewing its efforts to attract tourists from Europe with the awarding of a two-year contract for visitor education and marketing services for this market to Emotive Travel Marketing.

“As we continue to assess the needs of Maui’s people and how they envision rebuilding for the future, a Tourism Recovery Plan is critical to supporting Maui’s revival and the state’s immediate, mid-term, and long-term recovery efforts,” said Mahina Paishon-Duarte, Chair of the Disaster Response Permitted Interaction Group and HTA Board Vice Chair.

American Savings Bank, Bank of Hawai‘i, First Hawaiian Bank, and Central Pacific Bank joined Hawaiʻi Community Lending, a Hawaiʻi-based nonprofit community development financial institution, in taking a pledge to provide mortgage forbearances to Maui families impacted by the recent wildfires.

Maui Economic Opportunity’s popular Teen Financial Literacy Workshop, which covers basic money management skills, will be held in-person during Fall Break on Oct. 9 and 10 at MEO in Wailuku.

Doctors On Call Urgent Care and Walk-In Centers announced the addition of Dr. Vince Fussell to its staff on Maui. Dr. Fussell is a Family Practitioner and Urgent Care Specialist who will be seeing Maui patients and families immediately at both the Times Market West Maui Doctors On Call location as well as the Kīhei/Wailea DOC offices at the Shops at Wailea.

The Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau announced the appointment of Scott Pauli as Executive Director for the Island of Hawai‘i Visitors Bureau, an island chapter of HVCB.  Over his career, he held various leadership positions at luxury resorts on O‘ahu, Maui and the island of Hawai‘i. 

The donation represents 100% of the net proceeds from both Reyn Spooner in-store and online sales of all Lahaina Sailor products from Aug. 11-31, 2023, including men’s and women’s apparel, kids’ clothing, and accessories. 

The G70 Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Hawai‘i design firm, G70, has pledged $75,000 to the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund to help victims of the devastating wildfires on Maui.

Governor Josh Green today announced the reopening of West Maui on Oct. 8, as the state tries to balance economic survival, and the need for people to have jobs to help their families as they rebuild and recover.

Hawaiian Airlines today announced it will restart service between Tokyo’s Haneda Airport and Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport, operating three flights Oct. 29. through Nov. 4 before restarting regular weekly service on Nov. 22. The airline will gradually return to its original three times weekly schedule in March 2024.

In response to community concerns about keeping jobs in Hawai‘i for local businesses and workers, the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement has pivoted its Hawaiian Trades Academy to focus on workforce development with the launch of its Maui Workforce Development Program. This program will provide free certification and job training courses to Maui residents beginning Sept. 15, 2023.  In-person instruction will be held at a new classroom space near CNHA’s Kākoʻo Maui Resource Hub at Maui Mall Village in Kahului.

A total of 88 transpacific flights were canceled in August, representing 23,083 air seats. The passenger count to Kahului Airport decreased by more than 70% after the wildfires from 7,000 a day to 2,000 a day. The loss from business closures and visitor expenditures is estimated to be $11 million a day on Maui since Aug. 9, 2023.

County of Maui restrictions, triggered by fire evacuation orders Aug. 8, were lifted on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023, for two West Maui parcels: Lahaina Gateway, 325 Keawe St., and Walgreens, 342 Keawe St.