Column: We cannot allow business closures to further erode Hawaii’s identity

Every day it seems we learn of another business permanently closing or struggling to survive after months of living under quarantine laws.

It is sobering to think that Hawaii has the second-highest rate of permanent and temporary business closures and one of the highest unemployment rates in the country.

As third-generation business owners of Rainbow Drive-In and ‘IOLANI Inc., we are acutely aware that among the recent and potential closures are many of Hawaii’s iconic brands, as well as historic places that rely on local and visitor spending to stay afloat.

At Rainbow Drive-In, we fight to survive not just for our business and our employees, but also for Seiju Ifuku, our founder. He learned to cook while serving with Hawaii’s storied 100th Battalion during World War II. He and his wife, Ayako, opened Rainbow Drive-In in 1961.

At ‘IOLANI Inc, we are finding different ways to perpetuate a brand originally founded in 1953 as ‘Iolani Sportswear by Edith and Keiji Kawakami. They laid a strong foundation, which has carried the company through 67 years, yet is now being tested by the weight of this struggling economy.

When icons fall, they’re irreplaceable. Watumull’s, one of Ala Moana Center’s first tenants, was also one of the first to succumb to COVID-19 and permanently closed after 60 years. Like Like Drive Inn closed back in April after 67 years in business. Matsumoto Shave Ice is struggling to survive after 69 years.

Iolani Palace, which shut down in March, reopened on Sept. 24 after losing nearly $8,000 a day. The Palace needed to mount an aggressive fundraising campaign to compensate for the loss of revenue.

Supporting local doesn’t just support a company, it supports the local family that risked everything to take a chance on their dreams; it supports your favorite server who’s been there as long as you can remember; and it supports the longevity of Hawaii’s unique and diverse culture.

The reality is that with each new closure, Hawaii’s sense of place is diminished. If these irreparable losses continue, Hawaii’s identity will be chipped away until we at last become a place unrecognizable from the one many of us grew up in or know today.

This is why at a time when some residents are reluctant to reopen Hawaii until there’s a vaccine, we believe it is imperative that we support the state’s Safe Travels program that began Oct. 15 with pre-travel testing.

The fear that travelers will bring the virus here is a concern, but pre-travel testing will reduce that possibility to a manageable minimum. The state and private sector are also engaged in a coordinated effort to educate visitors about the safe behaviors they are expected to follow while here.

Some estimates show that there may not be wide distribution of a vaccine until the latter half of 2021. By then, it will be too late for many Hawaii businesses that are already teetering on the brink.

We believe in the resiliency of Hawaii and her people. We’ve endured hard times before and come out stronger for it. To stave off the gathering wave of business closures, we must adapt to reality and act decisively to safely begin reviving our economy now, not later. There are too many local businesses and families counting on us.

This is also a reminder to support all local businesses. We are all fighting to survive. Fight with us so our next generation can share the same memories we did as kids. Together, we will make it out of this, and together, we will rebuild stronger.

Alx Kawakami is chief operating officer of ‘IOLANI, Inc.; Chris Iwamura is CEO of Rainbow Drive-In.