Luquin's on fire?

[alaskyn66]

As with any small business people often put their life savings into developing said business. Definitely not a laughing matter.

[My 2 cents]

According to KHON news, fire dept. does not suspect arson.

[Kapoho Joe]

Yes SR, and I still feel that way. To that end, I will see you at the two upcoming fundraisers for the victims of the fire (the newly homeless and unemployed)! This is an area that after the flow touched the cemetery and then stopped, after Iselle went off like a bomb, after Dengue and everything else, we know how to stick together and 'git r done'. These two events are merely the beginning of a robust community effort to ensure that everything does work out for the best.

[Rob Tucker]

Two excavators are shredding what's left of Luquin's and the Akebono.

At 7:37 pm the last standing portion of the Akebono went down. From now on it will be a diminishing pile of rubble and a memory. I half thought there might be a chant going on but the watchers were mostly silent.

[SBH]

quote:

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Originally posted by Tink

...perhaps Sal should consider a Go Fund Me page once insurance has settled...

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I think that's a great idea, but the sooner the better since he can get good publicity for it right now. I'll be surprised if insurance pays for a full replacement.

Considering the entire town was threatened to burn down from lava two years ago I'm grateful that most of the town is still standing today and life goes on.

[EightFingers]

I have mostly good memories of Luquins. I will miss them. Let's see the Phoenix rise again!

[Carey]

Rob, your post reminded me.... I first met you at Akebono...
I forget why, but remember where!

ADD: I know there will be fundraisers in the future, but some of the the needs have got to be pressing, esp for the staff & renters...

Rob, would you be willing to start a fund-raiser, along the lines of the Pahoa Schools Christmas one, for this????
I will be more than willing to put my " two-cents" in!

ADD: I decided to donate, just in case.... if not for the above, use it for good!
Thanks Rob!

[Obie]

I hugged Sal today !

I cried and how was your day ?

[Rob Tucker]

Carey, good idea. I will start it now.

Assume the best and ask questions.

Punaweb moderator

[Punatic007]

quote:

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Originally posted by shockwave rider

quote:

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Originally posted by DTisme

I wonder what the statistics are for rebuilding after an event like this - I mean I wonder how many businesses rebuild and how many cut their losses and walk away? If it happened to me, at my age, I'd probably walk away. I'm guessing younger owners are more likely to rebuild?

That said, we don't know what we're going to do without our trusty Luquin's. We went there frequently. IMO none of the other Mexican places are remotely as good and they had the best damn breakfast around. I hope to see Luquin's in business again.

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It isn't just Sal though, he employed a lot of his family and the long time workers were clearly hanai family and had been there for years. I talked to some of them the next day when I went into Pahoa to check it out. To say they were devastated is an understatement. Wait people especially get virtually nothing from unemployment, these were good jobs for Puna, and now they have no jobs at all, even worse, some have no home and all their stuff went up in smoke too.

The heartlessness of some people here on PW is staggering, one suggesting it is "all for the best" and another jerk implying that the fire was a deliberate act to get out from under the building, with no evidence at all. I just don't understand why certain individuals here on PW always react to a disaster by assuming the worst about people they don't even know.

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SR, everyone deals with grief and shock differently, it's best not to judge others initial reactions. You could be misunderstanding or they were simply not feeling the grief yet. It's a huge loss for all of us.