Oahu businesses disappointed (but not surprised) by extension of shutdown order

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Oahu businesses considered non-essential under the city’s stay-at-home order weren’t surprised by the city’s decision to extend the mandate through Sept. 23.

That doesn’t make the news any easier to take.

“I wouldn’t say that I was surprised. If anything I would say I expected it,” said Turhan Folse, the chief financial officer with Teddy’s Bigger Burgers.

Folse says restaurant sales have suffered dramatically during Oahu’s second city shutdown.

The company has had to lay off employees and close some locations temporarily. Under the order, restaurants can only offer takeout. Some of the company’s locations are seeing few customers.

“We have a lot of people who depend on us to pay their rent, pay their mortgage, they have kids," said Folse. "So we feel like we’re responsible to them to stay open during these times and we’ve had to have a lot of a tough conversations. It’s been a really challenging time.”

They’re not the only ones facing challenging times.

Data compiled by University of Hawaii researchers indicates traffic in some Hawaii eateries may still be down by 90% or more ― and that as many as 17% of small businesses are not currently open.

Copyright 2020 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.