Landmark Hawaiian Store Burns Down

The Hasegawa General Store, a Maui Island landmark that was a must-visit for adventurous tourists, burned to the ground early Tuesday.

The store had been in operation for nearly 90 years. It served both residents of this isolated community on Maui’s eastern shore and tourists who braved the narrow, winding road to visit the grave of aviator Charles Lindbergh in nearby Kipahulu.

The fire was reported around 3:30 a.m. and burned out of control for more than two hours. A short time later the Hana Chevron Station, about 500 yards away, also burned down. The cause of the fires was under investigation, but a police spokesman said, “It looks suspicious.”