HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A long-time island favorite on Kauai’s west side is closing its doors for good.
Ishihara Market, known especially for their bentos, plate lunches, fish, and meat counters, will close March 12.
Established in 1934, the Waimea Town grocery store has served the community for nearly 90 years.
The Ishihara family owned and operated the store for most of its run up until 2018, when they sold it to Kalama Beach Corporation, a retail corporation owned by the Sullivan family.
In a statement, the company blamed staffing struggles, and other lingering impacts from the pandemic.
“We were truly honored to have the opportunity to take over this store and continue the Ishihara family’s 80+ year legacy of serving the Waimea community,” Brian Luna, General Manager of Kalama Beach Corporation, said.
“We had high hopes for this store and invested time and resources in hopes of ensuring the store’s success. Unfortunately, supply chain disruptions, staffing shortages and other pandemic-related issues made operating the store to the high standards the community deserves very challenging,” Luna added.
Employees say they were informed about the closure Monday.
“We are truly grateful to our Ishihara Market team who have worked tirelessly to serve our customers well. They were the heart and soul of this store and we appreciate their dedication and care. We also want to thank our customers for their loyalty and support of Ishihara Market over the years.”
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