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Retailers Aid Victims of Hawaiian Wildfires

Disaster relief coming from home-improvement chains, restaurants and others.

Published

1 year ago

August 20, 2023

INSTORE Staff

Retailers Aid Victims of Hawaiian Wildfires

This is what Front Street in Lahaina on Maui looked like before the recent wildfires ravaged the area. PHOTOGRAPHY: chrys35/iStock.com

A variety of retailers have reached out to help victims of the wildfires that recently leveled the Lahaina area on the Hawaiian island of Maui. In addition to the donations listed below, many of the companies have sent worker crews to assist with on-site recovery efforts:

Panda Express, which lost a Lahaina restaurant in the blaze, pledged up to $2 million. That assistance will be made to the American Red Cross through the Panda Cares Foundation and includes a company pledge to match guest donations of up to $1 million collected through boxes at Panda’s outlets and online through Aug. 21.

Lowe’s, which is donating $1 million to assist its disaster relief partners, including the American Red Cross and Lowe’s nonprofit Pro customers.

The Home Depot Foundation, which has committed up to $500,000 to support both immediate wildfire relief and long-term recovery efforts in Maui.

Kering Eyewear, owner of the Maui Jim sunglasses/eyeglasses chain (including a store and office that were lost in Lahaina), made an undisclosed to donation to the Hawaii Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund.

Skechers USA Inc., which lost its Lahaina store in the fire, donated $250,000. The chain also operates four other stores in Hawaii, and plans to open a 12,000-square-foot retail store in Maui in 2024.

Verizon donated $100,000 to the Hawaii Community Foundation in support of the Maui Strong Fund, and also sent crews to get its wireless services up and running again at no charge to area customers until the end of this month.

This list is not comprehensive, but is representative the variety of retailers reaching out to help those in need in Hawaii.

You Wouldn’t Cut Your Own Hair. Why Run Your Own Retirement Sale?

After being in business for over a quarter of a century, Wayne Reid, owner of Wayne Jewelers in Wayne, Pennsylvania, decided it was time for a little “me time.” He says, “I’ve reached a point in my life where it’s time to slow down, enjoy a lot of things outside of the jewelry industry. It just seemed to be the right time.” He chose Wilkerson to handle his retirement sale because of their reputation and results. With financial goals exceeded, Reid says he made the right choice selecting Wilkerson to handle the sale. “They made every effort to push our jewelry to the forefront of the showcases,” he says, lauding Wilkerson for their finesse and expertise. Would he recommend them to other jewelers who want to make room for new merchandise, expand their business or like him, decide to call it a day? Absolutely he says, equating trying to do this kind of sale with cutting your own hair. “The results are going to happen but not as well as if you have a professional like Wilkerson do the job for you.”