PO‘IPU — Chelsea Januszewski of Artsea says she paints whenever she can, usually during the weekends at the Sheraton Kaua‘i Resort in Po‘ipu.
“We’re there (at the Sheraton pop-up market) seven days a week,” said Januszewski, who coordinates the pop-up with Jennifer Ortal. “8 a.m. to 8 p.m., we’re there.”
With the help and support of Sheraton Kaua‘i Resort General Manager Chip Bahouth and Josh Helmin of Island Activities Group, the owner and operator of the activities desk at the Sheraton Kaua‘i, Januszewski said they started the enterprise of coordinating vendors’ appearances at one of the resort’s central walkways leading to the beach and ocean.
“The space was underutilized,” Ortal said. “We could fill it with small businesses (crafters, jewelers, artists and more) and still be within the guidelines of the COVID-19. As a matter of fact, this weekend is filled with notices of no large gatherings, no big parties, and a high regard for social distancing. This pop-up makes an ideal stop for a South Shore day trip.”
The pop-up at the resort has been a big boost for participating small businesses since starting in July.
“We nearly doubled the amount of vendors coming through,” Januszewski said. “In August, there were more than 30 vendors rotating through the corridor space. And we’re getting more calls.”
Ortal said she just wants local residents to know there are pop-up vendors to shop at in Po‘ipu.
Bahouth is no stranger to supporting small endeavors because he and the resort associates are involved with the annual Kaua‘i Visitor Industry Charity Walk that has its virtual walk taking place now.
“A lot of the fundraising for the charity walk came from Table 53 in the RumFire dining area,” Bahouth said. “But with the pandemic, RumFire isn’t even open yet. Instead, we tagged select items on the Lava’s at Po‘ipu menu as charity walk items. People ordering that charity walk item will have a dollar set aside specifically for the charity walk. Additionally, anyone renting the cabana also helps the charity walk, because a portion of the fee goes to the charity walk contribution.”
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
“Ortal said she just wants local residents to know there are pop-up vendors to shop at in Po‘ipu.”
Exactly what we need to bring hospital and infection numbers down! Where is the so called “enforcement”?