PAHOA — Malama Market, the anchor tenant at Pahoa Marketplace, will close Thursday as a result of the threat from the June 27 lava flow.
The flow was approximately 1 mile from the shopping center Monday and could arrive there in seven to 10 days at its current rate, according to Hawaii County Civil Defense.
Sheryl Toda, Malama Market spokeswoman, said the store will close 6 p.m. Thursday. Equipment will begin to be removed Tuesday.
Its gas station will close Friday afternoon.
“We’ll be working all the way through Thursday to slowly remove equipment and check for food and take care of our customers,” she said.
The store employs 83 people and opened at that location in 2005.
It’s one of two groceries in Pahoa. The other, Island Naturals, is not currently threatened by the flow and will remain open, said owner Russell Ruderman.
Toda said Malama Market is considering opening satellite locations in lower Puna to distribute basic necessities but no plans have been made.
As of Monday morning, the flow was advancing about 300 yards per day and appeared headed for the marketplace.
Darryl Oliveira, Civil Defense administrator, said the shopping center would be the largest commercial area inundated with lava since the eruption from Pu‘u ‘O‘o on Kilauea’s East Rift Zone began in 1983.
It also includes a medical office, hardware store, restaurants and other services.
Oliveira said he continues to speak with merchants to keep them informed but no evacuation order has been given.
“We have been working with the merchants all along,” he said.
“They are not sitting back and waiting for Civil Defense” to order an evacuation, Oliveira said.
If lava reaches the shopping center, he said the Fire Department would try to protect structures that don’t come into direct contact with the flow.
“We’re trying to do what we can to save and protect what is savable,” Oliveira said.
Meanwhile, public viewing of the inactive flow near Apa‘a Street and Cemetery Road could begin as early as Wednesday, he said.
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
