"Black Friday" in May. Some local businesses say graduation season is like Christmas for them, bringing in between 20 to 30 percent of their annual revenue.
As part of island tradition, graduates are sure to be decked out in the the sweet smell of success this weekend…flower lei.
"That’s the whole thing about graduation in Hawaii, the lei huh," said Pris Texeira, who was buying lei for her niece.
And it’s never just one lei, some people were going to five or six stores to load up on lei for their graduate.
"Goodness I didn’t think it would be this hard to get um," said Stephanie Apodaca, who was buying lei for her son.
By noon, lei shops were nearly sold out and forget about finding a Maile lei.
"Pretty fast, as soon as we can make it goes out," said M.P Lei Shop owner Sam Say.
"Today all of the high schools on Kauai are graduating so I was glad to be able to get some here, it’s all sold out on Kauai," said Texeira.
Statewide, the next few days are jam packed with school graduations a time spent celebrating with family, friends and food.
"For this party we’re doing it for 460 people, 4-6-0, we have one here for 130 people," pointed out Arrison Iwahiro, Fukuya Delicatessen.
He says his family own restaurant on South King street orders aren’t as big as before, but they are still seeing an increase.
"We have more orders and we send out more food," he says. "I delivered last friday for a pre-school graduation so all the way there to college."
The balloon business is also blowing up this weekend.
"All things counted, we’ll probably go thru about 3,000 pieces easily," says Ken Komoto, Flyin’ Hawaiian Balloons.
His shop sells everything from school specific arrangements to its signature balloon bouquets.
"Bigger the better it seems like for the grads nowadays," he says.
Tomorrow is expected to be just as busy.
All day tomorrow we’ll be going like a chicken without a head, i think is a small way of saying it," says Komoto.
A dozen public high schools have graduation ceremonies Friday night, another 25 will be held this weekend.
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
