Kauai’s Small Businesses Plead for Tourist Comeback After Hurricane Lowell

When the wind finally died down on September 7, the island of Kauai was left with a mess of downed power lines, water‑logged roads and a forest of uprooted trees. For Kelly Kakalia, co‑owner of the Musubi Truck, the first thing on her mind wasn’t sales numbers; it was feeding the neighbors who were still huddled in the dark.

She watched her staff hand out free meals from their Wailua kitchen, smiling despite the chaos. The next day, though, the reality hit hard: demand for poke bowls and spam musubi evaporated, and the family‑run business had to lay off half of its 50‑person crew and close one of its three trucks.

Tourists have long been the lifeblood of Kauai’s economy—up to 28,000 visitors can be on the island in a single day, pouring billions into local shops, hotels and farms. After Lowell, officials warned travelers to hold off, fearing that a flood of visitors would jam already‑clogged roads and strain limited water and power supplies. Hotels and vacation rentals had taken a beating, and many locals were still living without electricity.

“Now that power and water are coming back, we need to change the story before more of us go out of business,” Kakalia, 36, told reporters, a hint of frustration in her voice. “People are still canceling trips for November, and that hurts us.”

Her worries echo across the island. Kristal Scott, who runs Kauai Juice Co., found her three juice‑bar locations dark and her fresh produce spoiled after the storm. Even with a generator humming in the back, the fuel costs were sky‑high, and her insurance payout barely covered the loss. Sales have plummeted about 85%, forcing her to let go of half of her 45 employees.

“I’m begging them to come back,” Scott said, a tremor of desperation in her tone. “Please, please, this is temporary.” She hopes the laid‑off workers will return when the island gets back on its feet.

And it isn’t just the storefronts feeling the squeeze. Cadena Ragsdale, who supplies 100 % Hawaii‑caught fish to hotels and restaurants through her company, Kauai Fresh Fish, watches the ripple effect with a heavy heart. The biggest restaurant on the south shore was badly damaged, and air cargo delays mean she can’t ship fish between islands. She’s had to cut her eight‑person crew down to one, and even sell two of her delivery trucks just to stay afloat.

“It’s not just about my business, it’s about the fishermen and their families,” Ragsdale explained. “If we close, where do they sell their catch?”

Mayor Derek Kawakami, trying to balance recovery with the island’s economic lifeline, announced Thursday that Kauai is “welcoming visitors back,” but with a clear message: come with patience, spend locally, and respect the ongoing cleanup.

Even as power creeps back to more than 3,000 households and businesses, water conservation orders linger, and generators hum in kitchens and coffee shops. Community groups have stepped up—donating supplies, setting up relief hubs, and even lending tools and trucks to clear debris.

There’s a nervous optimism in the air. Some shop owners are tentatively opening doors, hoping the trickle of foot traffic will grow into a steady stream. Others, like Scott, are still wrestling with the fear that another pause could be fatal for their enterprises.

Tourism is a double‑edged sword in Hawaii. The state recorded $21.75 billion in tourism revenue last year, but after disasters, an influx of tourists can overwhelm limited resources and slow recovery. Yet the same tourists are also the engine that can jump‑start the economy, as Maui learned after the 2023 Lahaina wildfires.

For now, Kauai’s small businesses are sending a humble plea: give the island space to heal, but don’t stay away forever. Bring your aloha, bring your patience, and help keep the local shops, farms and fisheries alive.