Lahaina Is Getting Storefronts Near Front Street. But Not the Way Most People Expect.

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LAHAINA – If you have a Maui trip coming up, you have probably wondered the quiet question a lot of travelers are afraid to ask out loud.

Is it okay to go to Lahaina?

For almost three years, the answer has been complicated. The August 2023 wildfire destroyed the historic core of the town.

Front Street, once one of the busiest streets in all of Hawaii, has sat mostly empty since.

That is finally starting to change. And the way it is changing tells you a lot about how to visit the right way.

What’s actually happening on Front Street

On July 2, 2026, officials announced a new interim marketplace called ʻUlu o Lele.

The name means “growth of Lele,” honoring Lahaina’s traditional name.

According to Maui Now, it is an $8 million, two-year project led by the nonprofit Hawaiian Council. Funding includes a $4 million grant from the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund.

It is set to open in September 2026 on the former Outlets of Maui site. It will be the first project to bring storefronts back to the Front Street area since the fire.

The plan is modest on purpose.

There will be 17 small retail units and eight food truck spaces, plus a stage for nightly music and cultural demonstrations.

The marketplace is expected to employ about 90 people.

What ʻUlu o Lele is, and what it isn’t

Here is the part that matters most for how you think about your visit.

This is not a shopping mall built for tourists. It is a lifeline built for Lahaina.

Priority for the spaces goes to businesses and cultural practitioners who lost their livelihoods in the fire, not to new startups or outside brands.

A community committee, not the nonprofit running the project, will pick the tenants.

Rents are kept low on purpose, from $800 to $1,500 a month, so displaced local families can afford to come back.

As Hawaii Public Radio reported, one Lahaina business owner described the goal as a “piko,” a gathering place where families can share a meal, grab coffee, and listen to music together again.

So yes, visitors are genuinely welcome.

But I believe the the framing matters.

You are a guest at a community’s first step back, not a customer at a grand opening.

How to say “ʻUlu o Lele”

Let’s get the name right, because it matters here. ʻUlu o Lele is pronounced OO-loo oh LEH-leh.

Break it into pieces: “ʻUlu” sounds like OO-loo. “o” is a quick “oh.” “Lele” is LEH-leh, with two soft, equal syllables. Say it slowly a few times and it starts to roll.

The name means “growth of Lele,” and Lele is the traditional name for Lahaina. That little mark before the U is an ʻokina, a Hawaiian glottal stop.

It works like the tiny pause in the middle of “uh-oh,” so give it a gentle catch rather than skipping over it.

What visitors can and can’t do in Lahaina right now

This is where a lot of people get confused, so let’s clear it up.

Most of Front Street is still closed.

Per the County of Maui, Front Street remains closed to through traffic from Papelekane Street to Lahainaluna Road because of ongoing construction. There is no thru traffic.

No Lahaina town businesses or historic sites are open to the public yet.

That includes the famous Banyan Tree Park. The area closes at 6 p.m. each day while the electrical grid and infrastructure are still being restored.

If you do enter the Historic District, public access is allowed between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., and vehicles can only drive in from the Shaw Street access point.

There is a 10 mph speed limit, and in some spots pedestrians and cars still share the road. Go slow.

This is an active recovery zone, not a scenic stop.

The short version: you cannot stroll Front Street the way you may remember. Not yet.

The harbor is back, slowly

There is one piece of real, bookable good news. Lahaina Small Boat Harbor reopened on December 15 after being closed for 28 months.

According to state data cited by West Hawaii Today, seven tour operators have returned so far.

Atlantis Submarines resumed tours in June, towing a submarine over from Oahu to do it.

If you want to support the West Maui economy in a concrete way, a boat tour out of Lahaina Harbor is one of the clearest options right now.

Just book online or through your hotel ahead of time, since there are no booking facilities at the harbor itself.

How to visit West Maui with respect this year

None of this means “stay away.”

West Maui’s economy invites visitors, and residents have said so directly. It means show up thoughtfully.

Stay in the Kāʻanapali and Kapalua areas, eat at locally owned spots, and book tours run by Maui companies.

When ʻUlu o Lele opens in the fall, you can visit, spend money with local vendors, and enjoy the music, as a respectful guest.

Skip the fire zone as a sightseeing destination.

Do not photograph damaged homes or treat the burn area as a backdrop.

If you are newer to planning a Maui trip, our Maui travel guide is a good starting point for where to base yourself.

And if you are still deciding when to go, our overview of the best time to visit Hawaii can help you line up your dates.

What you do not need to worry about

You do not need to cancel a Maui trip over this. West Maui’s resorts, beaches, and restaurants are open and running.

You do not need to feel guilty about coming, either.

Respectful visitor spending is part of how Lahaina recovers.

The people asking you to come with care are the same people rebuilding the town.

In recent years, the question was never really whether to visit Maui. It is how to visit Lahaina with respect while it heals.

And for once, that answer is simple: come with aloha, spend local, and don’t sightsee the active recovery zones.

FAQs

Is Lahaina open to visitors in 2026?

Parts of the Lahaina Historic District are open to the public between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., but most of Front Street remains closed to through traffic, and town businesses and historic sites are not yet open. The new ʻUlu o Lele Marketplace is expected to open in September 2026.

What is the ʻUlu o Lele Marketplace?

It is an $8 million interim marketplace on the former Outlets of Maui site, led by the nonprofit Hawaiian Council. It will bring back the first storefronts to the Front Street area since the 2023 fire, with 17 retail units, eight food trucks, and a stage for live music.

Can I walk down Front Street in Lahaina right now?

Not the way you may remember. Front Street is closed to through traffic from Papelekane Street to Lahainaluna Road due to construction, and the area closes daily at 6 p.m. while infrastructure is restored.

Is Lahaina Harbor open for boat tours?

Yes. Lahaina Small Boat Harbor reopened on December 15 after 28 months, and several tour operators have returned, including Atlantis Submarines. Book online or through your hotel in advance, since there are no booking facilities at the harbor.

Should I cancel my Maui trip because of Lahaina?

No. West Maui’s resorts, beaches, and restaurants are open. Residents have encouraged respectful visitor spending, which helps the local economy recover.

How can I visit Lahaina respectfully?

Support locally owned businesses, book Maui-run tours, and treat the fire zone as a place to rest, not a sightseeing stop. Avoid photographing damaged homes, and when ʻUlu o Lele opens, visit as a respectful guest.

Sources

• Hawaii Public Radio, “Lahaina marketplace will mark first commercial project to return to Front Street,” July 6, 2026 
• Maui Now, “ʻUlu o Lele marketplace to open this fall, a milestone in returning business to Front Street,” July 2, 2026 
• West Hawaii Today, “First storefronts returning to Lahaina’s Front Street,” July 4, 2026
• County of Maui, “Adjustments underway for access to Lahaina Historic District,” December 24, 2025