Benson Medina, director of Hawai‘i County's Department of Research and Development, says small business is a "great economic driver."
"What we've also seen, too, is that the health and overall well-being of the community is really connected to the health and well-being of small business," he told Aloha State Daily Tuesday. "So, small business thrives, the community thrives. Small business struggles, [the] community struggles."
This weekend, the department will support local entrepreneurs and small businesses. The 2025 Hawai‘i Business Mākeke is set to take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 12, at Prince Kūhiō Plaza in Hilo.
There, you'll find 60 vendors "who actively give back to the community," offering a variety of wares and foods, from handmade jewelry, fashion and wellness goods to cold-pressed juices, sweets, plate lunches, pantry staples and other treats, the county said in a recent announcement.
“This event was shaped by feedback from Hawaiʻi Island entrepreneurs, small business owners, community groups and residents who called for spaces that go beyond just commerce,” Hawai‘i County Mayor Kimo Alameda said in the announcement. “They wanted opportunities to support people who mentor others, share knowledge, care for ʻāina, and help their communities thrive. This mākeke is built to celebrate those efforts, whether it’s passing on cultural practices, growing food, or investing in future generations.”
As director of Research and Development, there's a lot that Medina says falls under his purview, including economic and workforce development, among many other areas.
Although there are some "pretty big businesses" on the island, Medina says most — maybe 75% or 80% — have fewer than 20 employees, and over half of those have fewer than 10.
He said, too, that he population on Hawai‘i Island is diverse — and spread out across the island's 4,000 square miles.
If someone has a home-based business, there's not much opportunity to meet customers in person, he says. But the upcoming mākeke provides an opportunity for that.
"For that reason, the county definitely wants to support it."
Saturday's market is the first one the department will host.
"Right out of the box, our administration decided well, let's give this thing a whirl, take it for a spin [and] see how it does," Medina says. "Just from the speed of the sign up of the people that wanted to be involved, it looks like this thing could be pretty good. That's where our hope is."
Medina says a lot of people go to the mall on Saturdays anyway, but "I'm hoping that we can add an additional 1,000 to 1,500 people on top of the people that normally come."
Although the first event has not yet happened, Medina says he feels "pretty good that it's going to be successful." The next step, he told ASD, is to host a similar one in Kona.
"Our mayor is really a big proponent of geographical equity, so if we're going to do one in Hilo and do one in Kona, what about Waimea? What about south, down there [in] Pāhala, Nā‘ālehu, Ocean View?" Medina says, noting that geographic equity means the county offers the same kinds of opportunities in all places across the island. "Every community is a little different in the things that they like and the things that they can put out there for sale. We have to know the community pretty well and go down there and work with the locals that are down there to develop the kind of opportunity that will work really well for them."
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Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
