The Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy returned to Front Street in Lahaina this month, three years after the shop was destroyed in the August 2023 wildfires.
The family business received approval to resume operations in Lahaina on Aug. 1. That morning, kahu Greg led a blessing to mark the academy’s homecoming and an exciting new chapter for the Kinimaka ʻohana. The academy welcomed its first students back to Breakwall over the weekend.
“We are so thankful and blessed to be back home in Lahaina where our roots are. And we’re so grateful for this opportunity to give back,” Kimo Kinimaka said in a news release
Kinimaka started Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy in 1998. With his wife, Julie, and their five children, the family built one of Maui’s longest-standing surf schools.
The Kinimaka family’s connection to surfing stretches back generations. Kinimaka’s great-great-grandfather, David Laleo Kinimaka, was a close friend and bodyguard to King David Kalākaua. Family lore says the two surfed together. Today, Kinimaka continues to share the history and culture of heʻe nalu (surfing).
After losing its Lahaina shop in the wildfire, Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy continued to operate near Launiupoko. Three years later, the academy has returned to the community and the shoreline that shaped it.
“We are deeply grateful to everyone who has shared their love and support as we navigate this homecoming together,” Kinimaka said.
With its return, Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy is participating in the Kamaʻāina Referral Program as a way to say mahalo to Maui friends and neighbors who refer visitors to local businesses. The program rewards residents when their referrals result in completed bookings.
“We’ll see you in the water!” Kinimaka said.
For more information, visit royalhawaiiansurfacademy.com.
