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Wahiawa Today
By the People, for the People
Haleiwa Businesses Urge Visitors to Return as North Shore Recovers from Storms
Local leaders stress that Haleiwa town is open and respectful support can help the community bounce back.
Mar. 30, 2026 at 10:38pm
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As the North Shore community recovers from powerful storms, local businesses appeal for visitors to return and support their resilient ohana.Wahiawa TodayAs residents on Oahu's North Shore continue recovering from recent Kona low storms, business owners in the town of Haleiwa are facing a major secondary impact - an 80% drop in customers. While people are urged to avoid impacted neighborhoods, local leaders are encouraging visitors to return and support local businesses, many of which employ residents of the community.
Why it matters
The North Shore is a major tourist destination, and the drop in visitors is severely impacting local businesses that rely on that traffic. Helping these small, community-rooted businesses recover is crucial for the overall economic health of the region.
The details
Business owners like Bryan Suratt of a long-running surf school and Liam McNamara of the North Shore Surf Shop say they are carefully monitoring conditions to ensure safety, but are eager to get people back in the water and supporting local shops and services. They emphasize that many of these businesses employ residents of the Haleiwa community.
- The recent Kona low storms hit the North Shore in late March 2026.
- A pop-up clinic from Wahiawa Health is operating at Waialua Elementary School through 4 p.m. on Monday, March 30, 2026 and will return on Thursday, April 3, 2026 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The players
Bryan Suratt
Runs one of the North Shore's longest-running surf schools.
Liam McNamara
Owner of the North Shore Surf Shop.
Wahiawa Health
A health provider operating a pop-up clinic in the impacted area.
What they’re saying
“We need to get back to our job and support my workers, their workers.”
— Bryan Suratt, Surf school owner
“We're just trying to get people back in the water, get them some income so they can pay their bills. It's about our community. It's about our ohana here.”
— Liam McNamara, North Shore Surf Shop owner
“The community's strong, super helpful. All these people, it's amazing what they come out and do.”
— Bryan Suratt, Surf school owner
What’s next
The pop-up clinic from Wahiawa Health will return to Waialua Elementary School on Thursday, April 3, 2026 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. to continue providing services to the impacted community.
The takeaway
The North Shore's small businesses are the backbone of the local economy, and their recovery is crucial for the entire community. By visiting Haleiwa and supporting these local shops and services, residents and visitors can play a direct role in helping the region bounce back from the recent storms.
