06-05-2009, 05:16 AM
I think Pahoa old town (as opposed to the new development on the edge of town which mostly cater to residents) has tons of potential as an quaint artsy destination for a certain type of free spending tourist, but there are several big hurdles which would need to be overcome:
Cost of doing business: Because of the absurd run up of prices for commercial property during the last real estate boom, rents are sky high for commercial space which discourages the kind of risk taking small businesses that would create the right atmosphere to draw tourists. You need a certain critical mass to get a positive mention in guidebooks and by word of mouth.
Pedestrian unfriendly: The sidewalks are a huge problem. The people who would stop in Pahoa and spend money are mostly Europeans and the first wave of retiring baby boomers, and walking around downtown Pahoa is a real pain. I am now on crutches and I won't be back downtown until my cast comes off because it would be taking my life into my hands to try to navigate the sidewalks.
Parking: People are unsure if the "Luquins Lot" is public or private and Americans like to park close to their destination. The bus people seem to mostly spend their money at familiar places like Wal-Mart, McDonalds, and Ross, not cute little locally owned cafes, boutiques and galleries, so Pahoa needs to be attractive to couples and singles in rental cars.
In my former life I used to make a good living off of tourists, they are one of those phenomena where if you are making money off of them you welcome them, and if you don't profit from them they are viewed as a scourge and a plague. When I lived in Florida in the 70s there were t-shirts sold to locals with a silhouette of tourists in cross hairs which said "Why do you think they call it Tourist Season." They sold a lot of them.
Carol
Cost of doing business: Because of the absurd run up of prices for commercial property during the last real estate boom, rents are sky high for commercial space which discourages the kind of risk taking small businesses that would create the right atmosphere to draw tourists. You need a certain critical mass to get a positive mention in guidebooks and by word of mouth.
Pedestrian unfriendly: The sidewalks are a huge problem. The people who would stop in Pahoa and spend money are mostly Europeans and the first wave of retiring baby boomers, and walking around downtown Pahoa is a real pain. I am now on crutches and I won't be back downtown until my cast comes off because it would be taking my life into my hands to try to navigate the sidewalks.
Parking: People are unsure if the "Luquins Lot" is public or private and Americans like to park close to their destination. The bus people seem to mostly spend their money at familiar places like Wal-Mart, McDonalds, and Ross, not cute little locally owned cafes, boutiques and galleries, so Pahoa needs to be attractive to couples and singles in rental cars.
In my former life I used to make a good living off of tourists, they are one of those phenomena where if you are making money off of them you welcome them, and if you don't profit from them they are viewed as a scourge and a plague. When I lived in Florida in the 70s there were t-shirts sold to locals with a silhouette of tourists in cross hairs which said "Why do you think they call it Tourist Season." They sold a lot of them.
Carol
Carol
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb