Unforeseen Circumstances

Mango Mart closes its doors for good.

By Melissa Kelsey

People are quick to blame the economy these days, but that’s not always the answer. On Friday, April 3, Mango Mart’s sudden departure from Ala Malama Street created another vacant storefront in Kaunakakai — and not because of slow business.

The convenience store, which sold affordable food and household goods in bulk, closed as a result of one of the owners, who lives in Oregon, being ill, according to the shop’s former General Manager Karen Buhr.

Buhr said employees found out about the closing on March 31st, and spent the next three days selling leftover merchandise and cleaning the store.

Mango Mart, which also provided a DVD rental service, employed five full-time workers and five part-time workers at the time of its closing. Buhr said that all of the full-time employees and two of the part-time employees have filed for unemployment benefits.

The shop donated $473.00 worth of unsold groceries to the Molokai Women’s Shelter, according to Buhr. In addition, unsold DVDs were donated to the Molokai Women’s Shelter, the Molokai Youth Center, and Molokai General Hospital.

“The closing was so sudden, but we had no choice due to the owner’s illness,” said Buhr. “We would like to thank everyone in the community for their support.”