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BRUCE ASATO / JAN. 9
Dr. Robert Ruggieri, owner of Island Urgent Care, opened his Kahala location in 2006.
Island Urgent Care is closing its medical clinic on Aug. 13 after more than 12 years in Kahala.
The facility is shutting down following the redevelopment of Kahala Square because of a 300 percent rent hike, as well as a requirement to pay 8 percent of sales “forcing out smaller businesses,” according to Dr. Robert Ruggeri, Island Urgent Care’s owner and president.
“Medical Practices operate on a small margin, with a much higher overhead and require more employees than other retail sales businesses,” he said in a news release. “We could not survive if we had to pay a retail percent of sales in our lease. I expected an increase in rent after redevelopment, but never expected to pay three times what we pay now.”
The clinic opened in 2006 as Kahala Urgent Care, the first of five Ruggeri operates to treat sudden illnesses and injuries after hours and conditions not severe enough to warrant a visit to a costly emergency room.
Island Urgent Care, which saw more than 18,000 patient visits in 2017, has four other locations in Hawaii Kai, Kapahulu, Kakaako and Pearl Kai and plans to open in Kapolei in late 2018.
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