Southwest Airlines needs ‘business to double in order to break even,’ CEO says
DALLAS — Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly said despite some modest improvements in late July and August “passenger demand remains inconsistent and difficult to forecast and still at very depressed levels.”
Case of the Missing Contact Tracer Millions
The story you are about to read is true. The names have not been changed to protect the innocent. This is the city: Honolulu, Hawaii. I live here. I’m a doggie.
Buy Hawaii, Give Aloha showcases locally made products online
In an effort to provide greater exposure to local businesses experiencing hardship amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the state has launched Buy Hawaii, Give Aloha, a platform featuring made-in-Hawaii products.
Unfounded rumors of employees testing positive for COVID-19 have Hilo coffee shop reeling
Social media rumors about COVID-19 cases at Just Cruisin Coffee in Hilo left its owner frustrated.
Small Business Matters: COVID-19 fatigue
This has probably been the toughest year on record for most of us. You know the reasons. We’ve had wars before, past economic downturns have hit us hard, political crises we’ve all lived through, and personal crises and illness are the burdens of being human. But rarely before in our nation’s history have so many tribulations combined into perfect storms.
L&L opens in Pahoa
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue opened its 205th location at the new Puna Kai Shopping Center in Pahoa on Aug. 12.
How we’re going to spend CARES Act money
Imagine what would happen if a genie came up to you and said, “Here’s a pot of money for you. All you need to do is spend it by the end of the year. If you don’t, whatever you haven’t spent will disappear.” What would you do with it?
Business is all good at the Dusty Donkey Emporium
The Dusty Donkey Emporium, Waikoloa’s funky little thrift shop, celebrated its fourth year in business on Saturday.
Unemployment tax in the nonprofit sector
Two weeks ago, we discussed the unemployment tax and insurance system and how employers are likely to be hit with a significant and automatic rate increase at the end of this year.
Nearly all restaurants, stores at Hilo mall are now open
Almost all stores and restaurants in Prince Kuhio Plaza have reopened since closing during the initial COVID-19 lockdown in March.
HiCO Hawaiian Coffee opens in Kailua-Kona
HiCO Hawaiian Coffee recently opened its doors at the BREW on Pawai Place in Kailua-Kona.
Hawaiian Electric proposes to speed use of electric buses
Hawaiian Electric has proposed a project to speed adoption of electric buses in public, private and school bus fleets on Oahu, Maui and Hawaii Island. The company is asking the Public Utilities Commission to approve an eBus Make-Ready Infrastructure Pilot Project.
Small Business Matters: Business moves on to Plan B, C, D …
Hawaii’s business community waited quite a while for a trans-Pacific non-quarantine start date, and as we all know that has been pushed back a month — for now. The governor and the mayors were telegraphing this pretty clearly before it was announced, so it’s no surprise and you really can’t blame them. The mainland has unfortunately gone nuts again with infection rates, we’re still not sure how pre-arrival testing in Hawaii would work, and with our limited medical resources, it’s easy to imagine an alarming scenario if COVID-19 took off here at even a fraction of mainland rates. But it is discouraging.
Food inflation arrives, adding to the woes of ailing restaurants
Food inflation has arrived, according to newly released data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And that means slimmer profits for many already-ailing restaurants even as diners pay more for meals.
