As we enter the second full month of the stay-at-home order here in Hawaii, we continue to adapt to the changes happening around our local Big Island and Oahu community. At the same time that we are staying physically distant, we feel the need and have a desire to support the businesses that keep our local economy moving along.

Shop Locally

Hawaii has a talented pool of local artisans and small-business owners who rely heavily on tourism to keep their businesses afloat. Our ohana at LUVA Real Estate recognizes the importance of small-businesses and feel that the locally made and carefully curated products that they sell are part of what makes our community unique. We don’t want to see them go away! Our agents are supporting our Hawaii economy by shopping local whenever and however we can. Many brick and mortar shops opening up online shops in lieu of the pandemic. Some vendors are offering free shipping, so be sure to check the website of your favorite local vendor to see how their businesses have changed in response to the pandemic.  Below are two of our favorite ways to shop local and support local artisans.

Pop up Makeke            Shop Small Hawaii

Support Your Favorite Restaurants

Many restaurants around Kailua-Kona have opened their doors for takeout and/or delivery. Some of our favorite restaurants in Kona, like Fosters Kitchen, are now offering free delivery while others like Magic’s Beach Grill have put together a delicious menu of Grab & Go Meal Kits. Hand-crafted by Magics Chefs, the kits contain everything you need to make a restaurant quality meal at home. You can check out their menu and pre-order here. Lunch spots like, Poi Dog Deli, are offering curbside delivery, and have gone completely cashless to reduce risk of contamination. Some coffee shops in Kona are open now during limited hours and with new business practices. At shops like Kona Coffee and Tea, you can pre-order your drink through the app Joe – drastically cutting down on the time spent at the store. Other coffee companies like Big Island Coffee Roasters have opened up online shops to direct customers.

When you are ordering food for takeout, be sure to call ahead and stay in your car until your order is ready. Looking for delivery? Utilize apps like DoorDash to see if your favorite local restaurant is doing delivery. If you are not in the financial position to eat out at your usual restaurants, support them by leaving stellar reviews on Yelp, Google, or Facebook. You can also promote them by sharing their posts on your social media!

Donate to Your Local Food Bank

According to Hawaii Food Bank, before the pandemic 1 in 8 Hawaii residents were already struggling with hunger and failing to meet nutritional needs. Now, with COVID-19 and hundreds of thousands of Hawaii residents out of work, the need to provide food and nutrition to those struggling in our community is at a whole new level. Donate to Hawaii island’s Food Basket through their website here. Located on Oahu, donate to Hawaii Food Bank here.

Check in on Those Who Are at-risk in Your Neighborhood

Think about your neighbors, do you have anyone in your direct circle that are more at-risk? Perhaps elderly people or those with pre-existing conditions? Check in on them by giving them a call, text, or email and see if there is anything you can do to help them stay home during this next month of the stay-at-home order. From a distance, LUVA Realtor Jonika Macdonald recently delivered homemade elderberry immune booster syrup to those in her community.

Stay Positive

LUVA Real Estate believes in the power of positivity. Now more than ever we are staying positive and motivated to push through these unprecedented times. Our agents have quickly adapted to our changing business policies and are hard at work helping clients buy and sell real estate. We know that the challenges brought to the real estate industry by the pandemic will make us a stronger and more resilient brokerage. If you have questions about the local Hawaii Real Estate market, please reach out we are looking forward to hearing from you!