"As Ihilani Vaʻa on winning Na Wahine O Ke Kai 2025"

As Ihilani Vaʻa on winning Na Wahine O Ke Kai 2025

Nami Kaze Hawaii announces closure due to rising costs and operational challenges.

Nami Kaze Hawaii, a Japanese and American fusion restaurant in Kalihi, announced its closure at the end of October.

Chef Jason Peel cited rising costs and operational challenges as reasons for the closure in a post on the restaurant's Instagram.

Peel expressed gratitude to the team, customers, and supporters for their encouragement.

Despite the bittersweet goodbye, Peel is excited to carry their vision for Hawaii forward in new ways.

The restaurant, located at Pier 38, will be closing its doors after facing difficulties in running the restaurant as desired due to financial constraints and operational issues.

Joke Of The Day

Why did the Hawaiian dancer bring a ladder to the luau?

Because they heard the hula hoop was on the roof!

Katie Taladay honored for workforce leadership on MauiMaui Now

📍 Location: Maui

📄 Details: Katie Taladay, director of Workforce Development at the Maui Economic Development Board, was selected as Maui’s recipient of the 2025 Workforce Development Hero Award. Her efforts in growing local training and employment opportunities are being celebrated as part of the statewide recognition of workforce champions.

Events in Hawaiʻi around Oct 1–6, 2025

2025 MDS International Congress

📅 Oct 2 – Oct 9, 2025 events.hawaiiconvention.com

📍 Hawaiʻi Convention Center, Honolulu, Oʻahu

📄 Details: A professional conference event (medical/dental society) scheduled during early October at the Hawaii Convention Center. events.hawaiiconvention.com

Honolulu Theatre – Shows

📅 Throughout October 2025 honolulu-theatre.com

📍 Honolulu, Oʻahu

📄 Details: Honolulu Theatre has multiple performances scheduled in October, which may include plays, concerts, etc. For exact dates in the first week of October, their October schedule would need checking. honolulu-theatre.com

Waikīkī / Oʻahu Local Events & Tours

📄 Details: According to Oʻahu’s events listings, general ongoing things like cultural tours, stand-up paddleboarding at night, nature / snorkeling tours, and Waikīkī experiences are listed for October. Waikīkī Beach Stays+1

Waikīkī Fall Festival

📄 Details: The Waikīkī Fall Festival is cited as a recurring cultural street‑festival event along Kalākaua Avenue with celebrations, though exact start dates vary. FIRST CABIN INTERNATIONAL HAWAII

Texas Billionaire Purchases 491 Acres Beneath Four Seasons Hualālai for $400M

Who & What: Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell Technologies, bought 491 acres of land under the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai (on the Kona coast, Hawaii Island) that he had been leasing from Kamehameha Schools.

Price & Significance: The price is estimated around $400 million — a major land transaction in Hawaii.

Why It Matters:
 • Converts Dell’s role from leaseholder to full landowner. SFGATE+1
 • Rare for Kamehameha Schools to sell large parcels; the trust has long been one of the largest landholders in the state.
 • Reinforces luxury/resort‑sector dynamics in Hawaiʻi real estate — beachfront, resort lands remain highly prized.

Compass to Acquire Anywhere Real Estate — Major Brokerage Consolidation

What’s happening: Compass (a national real estate brokerage) announced it will acquire Anywhere Real Estate, the parent company of brands like Coldwell Banker, Century 21, and Sotheby’s International Realty. Hawaii Life
Why it matters locally: This consolidation could shift how real estate is marketed, brokered, and franchised in Hawaii — potentially affecting commission structures, agent networks, and local branding.

Statewide Sales Down Across Hawaii

Trend: Home sales across the state declined ~4%, and condo sales slipped ~6% compared to August 2024. locationshawaii.com
Median price & market time changes:
• The median home sale price remained around $1,000,000, showing little change year-over-year.
• Condo median prices ticked up slightly (~1%).
• Days on market increased significantly: single-family homes went to ~35 days (up 25%), condos to ~55 days (up 67%).
Island‑level example – Big Island: Single-family home prices fell ~3% to ~$533,125; condo prices also dropped ~3%. Sales activity was down (homes –5%, condos –26%).