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PAHOA VILLAGE PARK BUSINESS AND MARKETING PLAN <br />EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br />The purpose of this report is to provide a business and marketing plan for a proposed <br />b Farmer's Market and Visitor Center at the Pahoa Village Park in the town of Pahoa located n t <br />ihe <br />district of Puna on the island of Hawaii. This report is funded be State Department of Business, <br />y the <br />Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) through a Community Based Economic Development <br />(CBED) grant to the Mainstreet Pahoa Association (MSPA) Inc. <br />Pahoa Village is a small, historic commercial center Serving a Population of more than 9,000 <br />residents in the Lower Puna district on the island of Hawaii. It started out as a logging operation <br />the turn of the century, and then became one of the 9 g p +an at <br />e mafor processing centers for large scale sugar <br />Production all along the windward coast of the island. • <br />sugar Indust in 1ggp: • . However, with the demise of Puna's district's <br />industry s, the towns economic activity dramatically declined. <br />The loss of Kaimu's Black Sand beach, Puna's famous visitor • <br />from the island's ongoing olcanic activity v +s�tor attraction, to recent lava flows <br />economic ' actsystY along its southern flank has further contribut <br />omic decline of this rural towns business base. At the d to the <br />as a whole continue to increase a same time, visitor numbers to the island <br />attractions , offering opportunities to build upon existing ocal historic ' <br />actions to also increase visitor numbers through P 9 or +c sites and <br />g shoe village. <br />This marketing and business plan is an effort in that • <br />between the Mainstreet Pahoa direction, and is based on a partnership <br />oa Program and Mayor Steve Yamashiro of the County <br />restore Pahoa's attractiveness as a visitor stop ty of Hawaii, to both <br />establishment of a " ' p nd meet community needs at the same time. The <br />village commonsa or village square concept is seen ' <br />both civic and economic goals b improving P as a viable way of advancing <br />Y P - +ng center -af -town amenities. A privately owned q-�acr <br />parcel is the proposed site for such a facility, It is located e <br />Operated recreational and • Y adjacent to a present cluster of county. <br />social facilities such as the community enter complex, <br />station, swimming pool, and ball park. This r y p ex, the Pahoa fire <br />County of Hawaii t parcel +s currently under review for acquisition b the <br />o be developed as a village park. Y <br />The business plan is premised on the acquisition • <br />subsequent development of of this parcel by the County, and the <br />b P public amenities by the county including estrooms an • <br />both county bus service and tour bus sto s. g d a bus station for <br />further b proposing P The business plan takes this infrastructure s step <br />Y P p g that MSPA be responsible for the establishment visitor P <br />a historic exhibit area, and a Farmer's of a v +s +tor information center, <br />Market for residents and visitors as part of the new <br />park area. <br />At present, an informal once -a -week farmer's m • <br />a • • market operates +n Pahoa Village on a Section <br />of land prone to flooding and utilizing temporary structures. It is operated b <br />organization and the organization is agreeable to P Y a private, nonprofit <br />County to achieve an i 9 having MSPA be the master contractor with the <br />improved vending area that is integrated with the ark site b <br />far P us station. It would <br />constitute a regular vending area for local crafts a industries the , Produce and products, flowers, recycled goods <br />g es for a clientele of local residents and visitors. ' <br />and other cottage the county. <br />The marketing plan is designed to romot Pahoa Village as a rest P e features of the Puna District as attractions and of <br />stop to tour bus businesses, visitor information out! • <br />discount packages for Pahoa village merchants ets, and coordinate <br />of attractions including g ants and food service businesses. There are a numb <br />c uding the lava flow at Kaimu but there are very few number <br />food service other than at Pahoa Villa rye Public re and almost no <br />more business to 9e• The plan will build on the village park concept to <br />o Pahoa village and creating enough revenue to P attract <br />of Pahoa Town and the lower Puna sustain the character and local history <br />area. <br />kA <br />