Kealoha Kitchen, a Hawaiian-style eatery in Covington, will close from Jan. 8 to 17, citing slumping sales.
A post to Kealoha’s Facebook page detailed that the restaurant was facing the possibility of permanent closure due to the current economic climate and rising food prices.
“We’ve been down in sales by 37 percent for the past 5 months, so we need to figure out how we’re going to pivot in order to survive in this tough industry,” read the post.
The post said the owners would take the coming week to devise a plan to keep the business running. Comments under the post were positive, with many community members offering support, well wishes and suggestions.
Kealoha’s Kitchen was founded by Val and Amy Abafo in late 2021. Val, a native of Oahu, prepares and serves dishes inspired by his childhood in Hawaii. Prior to opening their original location at 3428 Decoursey Ave. in Latonia, the couple operated out of a food truck.
In 2023, Kealoha announced it was moving into the vacant storefront at the corner of W. 6th and Main streets in Covington’s MainStrasse Village. The storefront previously housed Dee Felice Cafe. The building is in a prominent location within MainStrasse, directly across the street from Lisse Steakhuis and adjacent to the British-style pub Cock And Bull.