Storm-damaged Oahu eatery struggling to keep its doors open

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Repeated storms this busy El Niño season have left a family-run restaurant on Oahu damaged and in dire straits, with its owners unsure if they can stay open.

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The Terai family thought their eatery, Peace Cafe in Moiliili, could endure its damage from the Kona lows in March, until more storms struck in the following months.

Now, repairs will cost the family about $20,000.

“It is definitely hard, especially watching my parents work so hard,” said Moana Terai, the owners’ daughter.

The Terais are clinging to their work ethic during the trying times, still serving their all-vegan dishes to health-conscious customers.

“It feels a little frustrating at times, but we always just put our best foot forward,” employee David Melzack said.

The restaurant’s ambiance has not changed either. With its bright string lights and plant-themed decor, you can’t see much damage, but you can feel a difference.

“One of the biggest ones is just the AC,” Terai said, adding that the broken air conditioning accounts for about half of the $20,000 repair costs. “Our staff, they were working really hard throughout really hot kitchen.”

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It was slightly hot in the dining area as well, but that did not deter patrons, as the eatery was full Wednesday.

“It just made us realize how much we have from the community and we’re just really grateful,” Terai said.

In the back of the building, the door was ripped off by strong winds.

“A lot of the exterior parts of our building received a lot of water damage,” Melzack said.

Since the Kona lows in March, each storm added to the list of needed repairs.

“It was pretty bad just because a lot of the materials in the building maybe hadn’t recovered, so when there was more rain and more wind, it just accumulated the damage,” Melzack said.

Without the proper insurance, the cafe simply cannot afford to fix it all.

“We’ve actually had so many support, and we’re just really grateful for our community,” Terai said.

Click here for more information on how you can help Peace Cafe.

Businesses impacted by the storms can find more information about the state’s grant programs here.

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