Puna residents were in shock Monday following a fire late Sunday night that gutted the historic Akebono Theatre and Luquin’s Mexican Restaurant in downtown Pahoa. ADVERTISING Puna residents were in shock Monday following a fire late Sunday night that gutted
Puna residents were in shock Monday following a fire late Sunday night that gutted the historic Akebono Theatre and Luquin’s Mexican Restaurant in downtown Pahoa.
“It’s a sad day today,” said Iopa Maunakea, founder of the Men of PA‘A, or Positive Action Alliance, and lead singer-ukuleleist of the band Bruddah Kuz. “As a community, we’re all affected by the loss of this landmark. First, of all, the Akebono Theatre, they’ve been here for generations. Secondly, the Luquin family has been here for a long time, and they’ve been serving us all this time.”
The restaurant, which was opened by Salvador Luquin in 1984, and the theater, which Luquin also owns, were integral to everyday life in the Pahoa community.
While dozens watched the smoke of the remnant fire and firefighters pumped water onto the occasional flare-up, Luquin was about a block away at the Pahoa Neighborhood Center, talking story with sympathizers and well-wishers Monday morning.
The fire started at about 11:30 p.m., Luquin said. He said he was at home when the fire broke out.
Luquin said several relatives lived upstairs in the building, but all were able to make it out safely.
“It’s kind of shocking, but other than that, I’m OK,” Luquin said. He said the property is insured.
“The plans are to build it back up. … The whole thing,” Luquin said.
Brady Metcalf, co-owner of Pahoa Auto Parts, said he saw an explosion at the restaurant.
“It was so quick,” Metcalf said. “By the time the fire crew got there, they had a hard time putting that thing out.”
Metcalf said he “watched the roof” of Luquin’s collapse.
“The only thing that survived was the facade,” he said.
That facade was leaning street-ward toward Pahoa Village Road, which will remain closed through this afternoon between Kauhale Street and Kaleo’s Bar &Grill.
Metcalf said there were shouts of “get out, get out” to Luquin’s relatives, who lived on the second story of the restaurant building. He also noted the fire left a number of people unemployed.
“There were many people who worked there,” he said.
According to county tax records, the Akebono-Luquin’s property is valued at $380,100, including a market building value of $174,000.
A vacant building next door to Luquin’s that once housed the now-defunct Pahoa, Puna Buy &Sell pawn shop also was destroyed.
Erminia Banquil, who owns the building with her husband, Charles, said it was a total loss.
She said the one-story building wasn’t insured.
“It would have cost us too much, and it was already badly termite-eaten,” Banquil said.
According to county tax records, that building’s market value was $87,800.
La Hiki Ola Kava Bar, two doors down from Luquin’s, is still in business, according to its Facebook page.
“Please pray for the owner and families who live and work there,” David Hepp, the kava bar’s owner, posted.
Fire inspectors were still on the scene Monday afternoon, trying to determine the cause of the fire and estimate the damage, according to Battalion Chief Matthias Kusch.
Kusch said the Akebono-Luquin’s complex is “a large facility, and there will be a lot more going into it than just a regular house dwelling, where you can get an estimate on the square footage.”
He said plans included bringing in heavy equipment to tear down Luquin’s facade, which presented a possible safety hazard.
Randy Newmann, who managed the Akebono from 1988-94, said he found a plaque in the rafters that dated the theater to Dec. 7, 1917, and in Japanese named the family responsible for building it. That date is confirmed by the 2011 book “Theatres of Hawaii” by Lowell Angell, who wrote the Akebono was Hawaii’s oldest theater still operating.
Newmann, who now lives in Montana, said a dedication ceremony was held in 1993, after the plaque was discovered, to commemorate its history. The event was attended by Hawaii-born sumo wrestler Chad “Akebono” Rowan, and helped bring the community together, Newmann said.
Newmann said he had hoped to do a 100-year celebration in the theater, although he hadn’t contacted the owner.
“It flipped me out,” Newmann said about the fire. “Whatever I can do to help, I will,” he later added.
On Pahoa Village Road, a woman surveyed the shell of the burned-out theater. She, like others, viewed the scene through misty eyes.
“It’s seen plays, proms, concerts — you name it,” said the woman, who didn’t give her name. “It was the heartbeat of Pahoa.”
Those who performed at the Akebono during this decade include Willie K and John Cruz.
Bill Parecki of Savio Realty, a board member of the Downtown Pahoa Association, said Luquin allowed community organizations use of the Akebono for meetings.
“No charge. He just lets us use it,” Parecki said. “It’s a tremendous loss. It’s really a landmark here in Pahoa. A hundred years.
“Salvador’s such an asset to the community. It’s shocking.”
“The community loves Sal, so we’re going to support him and, hopefully, we’re going to rebuild it and there won’t be a Wal-Mart,” said Vincent Callagher.
“This is touching everybody,” Maunakea said. “If you go around and talk to everybody, everybody’s emotional about it. Even me, working with Sal all these years.
“And I’m going to miss the food, brah. So I hope they open something small and feed us while they rebuild. That’s why I told Sal. If there’s anything we can do with the Men of PA‘A, help with the labor force, whatever, we’re there for him.”
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
