{"id":1898,"date":"2026-06-27T06:34:38","date_gmt":"2026-06-27T06:34:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\/?p=1898"},"modified":"2026-06-27T06:34:38","modified_gmt":"2026-06-27T06:34:38","slug":"businesses-across-oahu-prepare-to-close-as-rising-costs-strain-operations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\/?p=1898","title":{"rendered":"Businesses across Oahu prepare to close as rising costs strain operations"},"content":{"rendered":"
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HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Several businesses across Oahu are preparing to close their doors, raising concerns about the economic pressures facing local companies and the impact on workers and families.<\/p>\n

Read more Pacific Fleet commander on building relationships during 30th RIMPAC exercise<\/a><\/p>\n

Community members say the closures are difficult to watch, especially as familiar businesses continue to disappear across the island.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very sad it\u2019s closing,\u201d said Mililani resident Darcey Iwashita.<\/p>\n

Iwashita said she had been a longtime customer of La Tour Cafe, including its Pearl City location, before that store closed.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019ve been going to the one in Pearl City before that one closed because it was right by my work,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

La Tour Cafe in Kapolei is set to close on June 30. Just next door, DB Grill is also preparing to shut down on July 12.<\/p>\n

For some residents, the closures raise concerns about broader impacts on local families.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s terrible,\u201d said Kapolei resident Teresa Kuhia. \u201cI think it takes away from the local people that need jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kuhia said the effects extend beyond workers themselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to have a trickle effect, impact their kids, their kids\u2019 kids,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Business leaders say many restaurants are struggling under the weight of rising costs, from labor to everyday operating expenses.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur employees, they\u2019re like family,\u201d said Sheryl Matsuoka, president and CEO of the Hawaii Restaurant Association. \u201cThey have rent to pay, they have children to support.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Matsuoka said wage increases, while important for workers, also create additional financial pressure for businesses already operating on thin margins.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith everything going up, our minimum wage went up,\u201d she said. \u201cBut when minimum wage goes up, everybody\u2019s pay scale goes up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Aloha Stadium steel begins journey to recycling<\/a><\/p>\n

At the same time, consumers are changing how they spend.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are really looking at what is going to be best for their family economics,\u201d Matsuoka said. \u201cShould we drive to our favorite restaurant across town, or should we stay within the neighborhood?\u201d<\/p>\n

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Retailers are also feeling the pressure. Nordstrom Rack will close its Waikiki location at 2255 Kuhio Ave. on July 27.<\/p>\n

In a statement, Nordstrom said the company made the difficult decision to close the store but plans to continue serving Honolulu customers through nearby locations and online.<\/p>\n

The Better Business Bureau says brick-and-mortar retailers have faced mounting pressure as more shoppers move online.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do know that a lot of physical retail has been hurting in the last several decades because of the shift to online,\u201d said Cameron Nakashima with the Better Business Bureau. \u201cBusinesses are clamoring to get that online, that e-commerce presence.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Despite the closures, Matsuoka remains hopeful upcoming events could provide relief for local businesses.<\/p>\n

She said restaurants are already seeing increased traffic from the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) military exercise, which runs through July 31.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just got to speak to six restaurateurs this morning who said they have seen the impact of RIMPAC,\u201d Matsuoka said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen they come in, it\u2019s all the different countries,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd when they have their time off, they venture out.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Matsuoka said she hopes visitors continue supporting local restaurants in the weeks ahead.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re looking forward to those visitors venturing out and enjoying our restaurants,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Read more Lahaina hosts first Little League tournament in 18 years<\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Community members say the closures are difficult to watch, especially as familiar businesses continue to disappear across the island.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1897,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1898","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nBusinesses across Oahu prepare to close as rising costs strain operations - Hawaii Moving Insider<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\/?p=1898\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Businesses across Oahu prepare to close as rising costs strain operations - 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