HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Two months after the devastating Kona Lows caused widespread damage in Hawaii, some places are showing signs of a slow but steady recovery.
Foot traffic has returned to the heart of Haleiwa, but businesses and residents still need help.
Once-flooded homes have since been raised high off the ground as construction gets underway. Heaping piles of debris have been cleared out, and there’s a sense of deep appreciation for those who helped.
Two months ago, we were along Olohio Street at the height of the floods. The only way to make it through was in the bucket of a front-end loader, as the water was waist-high.
“It’s definitely been slow,” Juliet Wilson, manager of Haleiwa Marketplace restaurant The Fixx said. Customers have trickled in, but business isn’t where it needs to be.
“We’ve unfortunately had to cut labor hours some. We’re trying to tighten up our order process, and we’re also redesigning our entire food menu to try and be more accommodating,” she said.
When a boil-water advisory halted their operations, they partnered with other groups who brought in food, and they gave it away for free to anyone who needed it.
“We are here to serve the neighborhood and just so long as we take care of our community, we hope that in turn, when the time is right, they’ll take care of us,” Wilson added.
Another business that took care of the community was the Haleiwa Distilling Company. For two weeks, their warehouse was transformed into a community resilience hub.
“It was kind of a no brainer that we would just help in any way that we could,” Haleiwa Distillery Company manager Kristin Salcido said.
Despite their good deeds, their business also took a hit as they balanced staying afloat with helping the community.
“It was difficult because you want to hold space for the people that needed time to recover. I mean, people lost everything, and at the same time people need to work,” she said.
As residents get back into their daily lives, the economic drivers of the North Shore have a message to those impacted:
“We hope you’re OK. We’re hanging in there with you, we’re trying our hardest and we’re certain you are too,” Wilson said.
“Just supporting local businesses as much as you can is the heart of it and being respectful when you’re here, and still know that people are still suffering,” Salcido added.
Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
