KOLOA – When Koloa Chevron closed on Good Friday, Beryl Moir of Kalaheo figured it was because of the holiday. When it didn’t open the next day, she knew something was up. The closing of Koloa Chevron Service last week
KOLOA – When Koloa Chevron closed on Good Friday, Beryl Moir of Kalaheo figured it was because of the holiday.
When it didn’t open the next day, she knew something was up.
The closing of Koloa Chevron Service last week stunned many who live and work on the South Shore, and yesterday morning the station telephone was still ringing, with callers likely trying to schedule their vehicles for safety checks or other service.
There was no one there to answer their calls.
The closing left the South Shore without a gas station for the first time since plantation days. Just a few decades ago, Koloa had no less than three service stations.
Now there are none, leaving those out of gas on the South Shore out of luck as well.
The open gas stations closest to Koloa are various outlets in Kalaheo, around four miles away, and Stan’s Super Service in Puhi, over eight miles away.
“It just wasn’t financially feasible to keep on operating,” said Juan Lugo, a spokesman for the Morinaka family that had operated the station.
Rent, the cost of fuel, and other costs associated with operating the station became too prohibitive for the family to continue operating the station, he said.
The facility is owned by Chevron, which plans to re-open it later this month either with a new operator or with Chevron operating the station itself, Lugo said.
Those working or living on the South Shore came to appreciate the convenience and friendly service at Koloa Chevron, and several recalled the station always being busy.
The unannounced closing caught Koloa residents, and even Chevron officials in Honolulu, by surprise.
Albert Chee, Chevron spokesman, said it has happened before in Hawai’i that a family or individual made a decision to quit operating a station, and gave both Chevron and the community little or no notice of the closing.
Chee found out about the closing via e-mail, he said.
Koloa resident David Chang said the closing is an inconvenience for fellow South Shore residents and visitors, especially local senior citizens, who now find Kalaheo as the closest town with a service station.
“Now there’s absolutely no fuel in Koloa,” said Moana Palama, president of the Koloa Community Association. “It’ll be missed,” and not having a service station in Koloa will be an inconvenience “no matter how long it’s closed,” she added.
Chee said Chevron will re-open the station as soon as possible, and operate it until a new operator is found. “Our intent is to keep it open,” said Chee, adding that he is not able to give a specific time when the station could re-open.
Chevron also operates Lihue Chevron on Rice Street.
“Remain patient,” Lugo advised.
Staff Writer Paul C. Curtis can be reached at mailto:pcurtis@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 224).
