Mahalo to Alison Skinner for sharing this lovely Aloha Friday Photo that she took from Front Street in Lahaina. As she shared this photo, she told us, “Maui holds a special place in my soul. I ache to return.” I think many of us can relate to that feeling.
Though the constants of the ocean, sun and sky remain, Lahaina’s Front Street is forever changed. When you think of Front Street, what thoughts come to mind? For me, I think of a vibrant street lined with colorful shops and restaurants, the sounds of Hawaiian music coming from the shops, the history, the banyan tree, and the looks of happy people who were counting their blessings to be in such a special place.
It was August 8, 2023 that the tragic fires forever changed a beloved town. Rebuilding has been slow. A few Front Street businesses that were not destroyed in the fire have reopened, but the vast majority of the buildings only have a rock or concrete foundation standing and nothing else.
Though badly burned, Lahaina’s 152-year-old banyan tree is recovering quite nicely. I like to think of the banyan tree as a symbol of Lahaina’s resiliency with hope of recovery.
For a recap of the progress Lahaina has made, I recommend the following YouTube video with excellent drone footage.
After you’ve watched the video, please share your impressions of the progress.
Sheila Beal
8 comments
The Banyon Tree is the symbol of what Lahaina is, Strong, resilient, never give up
Stay Strong Lahaina, we have your back.
Aloooooooha ni loa.
Mahalo for your comment Don. What an encouragement it is to see the banyan tree recover. It really does feel symbolic.
I remember the map mural of Maui that was on the side of a corner store that was on the east side of front street. It was there in 1975, I’ve been lucky to visit again but it wasn’t there in 2019. Anyone else remember the mural?
Mahalo for your comment Arnold. I don’t recall seeing that mural, but I sure would have liked to have seen it.
Burger and a beer at Cool Cats, overlooking the street and the banyan tree..
Mahalo for your comment JB. Those are great memories of Lahaina.
We visited Maui in October 2023, 2 months after the devastating fire. The restaurants and shops around Maui couldn’t thank us enough for still coming. Believe me, we thought of canceling the Maui portion of our trip. We drove around the bypass many times while there and it just broke our hearts what we could see. And all the military there protecting the area from gawkers. Thank them for their commitment. Lahaina was our most favorite place to go in Hawaii. All the cool shops and restaurants. Now all gone. To be honest with you, I did expect more progress by now from the Hawaii government. I don’t believe you’ll ever get the “Lahaina quaintness” back that once was. I also believe we will not visit Maui again until we see what happens with Lahaina businesses. God bless you all and good luck to everyone to bring this gem back to life.
Mahalo for your comment Nancy. We can count ourselves blessed that we can remember Lahaina before the fires.
I agree with you in regards to the progress. I expected more, too.