Kava Queen Kava Bar on Oʻahu’s North Shore is serving its last shells at the end of May, owner Ava Taesali announced, after a sharp jump in the cost of imported kava and lingering storm impacts made the storefront financially impossible to keep going. Taesali told reporters the small evening operation, which has moved locations multiple times in recent years, simply cannot cover rent and other expenses on its current sales. The bar will stay open for limited evening hours through the end of the month while the owner figures out her next move.
Owner Points To Import Costs And Tariffs
In an interview with Hawaii News Now, Taesali said the wholesale price of imported kava has climbed from roughly $30 a pound to about $45 a pound in recent months, and that tariffs and higher shipping costs have squeezed already thin margins. She told the outlet the shop averages about $150 in sales per day, far below what is needed to stay afloat, and confirmed Kava Queen will operate limited weekday evening hours through the end of May before closing. Taesali also said she hopes to keep sharing kava through private cultural sessions and occasional pop-up events once the storefront is gone.
From Farmers Markets To Sugar Mill Silos
Kava Queen started as Taesali’s farmers-market stall and later took root in a brick-and-mortar at the repurposed Waialua Sugar Mill silos in October 2024, according to Hawaiʻi Public Radio. The drink, often called ʻawa and made from the root of the Piper methysticum plant, carries deep cultural significance across the Pacific, a context that helped Taesali build a devoted local following, as detailed by Civil Eats. Even with that loyal base, niche beverage businesses that rely on imported roots can find themselves on shaky ground when supply chains or costs shift.
Tariffs, Storms And Thin Margins
Taesali cited tariffs imposed on some Pacific imports, which Hawaii News Now noted once exceeded 20% and remain elevated around 15% for certain goods, as a key pressure point, along with lingering instability from recent Kona Low storms. Kristin Salcido, manager at Haleiwa Distilling Company, told the same outlet that the broader North Shore business community is still feeling the strain and that small operations are especially exposed. For a tiny bar with low daily receipts, even modest jumps in ingredient prices can push the books straight into the red.
Last Call And What Comes Next
Patrons have a few more weeks of evening service to stop by Kava Queen and sip Taesali’s traditional preparations before the doors close at the end of May. Taesali plans to keep sharing ʻawa through private cultural sessions and pop-up events, a shift she hopes will preserve community connections while she steps away from maintaining a permanent storefront. The closure underscores how narrow margins, higher import costs and ongoing storm recovery are reshaping small-business life on the North Shore, one neighborhood favorite at a time.
