https://www.kitv.com/news/produce-vendor...e24d9.html
KEAAU, Hawaii (Island News) -- Produce vendors at Keaau Village Marketplace received short notice that they will have to vacate a parking lot that has been their home base for years.
Produce sellers, who provide a link from local farmers to consumer in the Puna district, must relocate by June 1.
Those showing up at the market on Tuesday were taken aback by the news.
"Disappointed, surprised," one Mountain View resident said who frequents "Conchita's Produce" stand.
The produce stand owner, along with fellow vendor across the lot, Timotea "Remy" Velasco, have been with the marketplace when it was located on the other side of Keaau Pahoa Road years ago.
"I'm the first one to stay there over by Long's before, and then over here. Almost six years over here," Remy told Island News of her nearly 20 year tenure with the market.
This is the second time the group has had to relocate.
"It's not in enough time. They could have at least given us three months," one vendor who did not wish to be identified said.
The section of land where the market is located has been subleased out and is a small part of a larger commercial property. Customers told Island News they hope the produce sellers will stay close by.
"The service is good, people are really friendly and they're helpful. They have the best vegetables," said one customer who says she is committed to follow the vendors wherever they end up next.
"I hope they resolve something and if they do have to move, it's close by. It's just not fair to them," regular customer Geno Arriola said who lives nearby in HPP.
The ownership company W.H. Shipman told Island News that it is committed to helping the produce vendors find a new location to operate in the community. Many customers wrote their numbers down Tuesday, wanting to be contacted when a new location is decided upon.
"We are connecting with local farmers through them, and so we get most of our produce here. So it is disappointing to hear that they're leaving, and I hope that someone in the county organizes somewhere else for them that would be appropriate," Kamiti of Kurtistown said.
W.H. Shipman would not detail future plans for the lot, but described the vendors as playing a "vital role" in the community. The real estate ownership group added that it has reached out to the individual vendors to help secure an alternative location before June 1, hoping to avoid any disruption in business.
The company also explained that it had leased out the parking lot section with the vendors all operating under a sublease. W.H. Shipman told Island News that the lessor decided to give short notice to vacate, though that person had been notified prior to May.
