Sly Mongoose Lahaina
Donation protected
Sly Mongoose, Lahaina - From the Ashes, We Will Rise
The Sly Mongoose has been a Lahaina establishment since 1977. It has had many labels, probably the most common, is as a dive bar. Chris Long took over ‘The Goose’ in the middle of 2022. It was his long-time dream to own it & when Uncle Richard decided it was time to sell, Chris jumped at the chance. Most everyone that entered, has met or known Chris for decades. Together, he ran the bar with his other half, Georgette Uyeda Hill. We have long standing ties to the community with memories that began in childhood of our beloved town and have no plans of abandoning Lahaina.
Chris’ mom, Nancy Clark was the ‘Lahaina Mail Lady’ for 29 years - she loved her job and is always remembered fondly. My Hufalar side of the family has been here for generations. My dad, George Uyeda was a fixture at the bar, my parents had a print shop around the corner. I walked to the shop from Kam III and hung out at the bar with my dad and ‘uncles’ – who generously gave me quarters to play the video games, until my mom was done at work. We all have memories of running around town in our youth, when, if you got in trouble, your parents would know by the time you got home!
Through the years, The Goose, has never been fancy and as ownership changed, the decor did not. We did not want to change that or much else about it’s ambiance. Donna has bartended there for 25 years and is huge part of it’s history. It is where locals can hang out & afford to have a good time, meet up with friends, make new friends and escape their work day. Everyone knows at least your first name or your trade…you may end up with ‘Carpenter’, ‘Plumber’, ‘Electrician’ or ‘Carpet’ as a new first name. We want to preserve this and bring Lahaina back to life. For those that can or want to help, we would greatly appreciate any assistance!
We know Lahaina will be re-built. It will not be as it was, that is certain. We would like to see it resemble part of our past and keep Lahaina local, for the kama’aina, by the kama’aina. In that spirit, we want to re-build the bar, it may not be in the same location, that is not in our hands. We do see re-opening, having a familiar place that friends can continue to gather, reminisce and create new memories. In hopes to reach out to all of our friends, far and wide, that wish to mālama our little community and help Lahaina rise from the ashes. Lahaina has been all over the news, twelve days later, most of us on the west side have not had internet restored, so we are a bit behind the times. For us, the morning of
Tuesday, August 8, 2023, began like all other days, Chris went down to clean the bar. I headed to work in Wailuku and was denied entrance at all three exits - the radio was not reporting any news, so I stopped by the bar, with the intention of making my way home. I found our friend, Eric, sitting outside, he had been evacuated from his home on Lahainaluna due to a fire. We ended up waiting & watching the day play out in the parking lot - waiting for the all clear notice. The wind came from all directions, gusting & blowing down tree branches. Many of our ‘Goose’ ohana, stopped by, hoping the bar was open, as the electricity was out, we were forced to stay outside. None of us were prepared for what was to come or imagined that would be the end of ‘normal’ for a long time to come. We had no updates or warnings throughout the day. It was sometime between 4 & 5 pm, when we heard booming sounds nearby, we guessed that it was the stored boats blowing up in the storage yard, it could also have been the transformers blowing. Then came the thick black smoke above us, blocking out all light, engulfing us in darkness and ash, the wind would shift and it was blue skies for brief moments. It was when the intense heat engulfed us that I thought that it was time to get moving!
Other friends headed back to Opukea to pack up and get their cats. By the time they got to the end of the street, we heard a shout - “FIRE!” - the train station was ablaze. We jumped in our cars and headed for the highway. We were blocked in on the left, the electric pole was down, ahead of us, the grass along the highway was burning. The poles on the north side of Keawe Street were down, and we were forced to head up toward the bypass, where we were directed on a road above Foodland Farms toward Kaanapali. It was an evacuation with no plan, near the end of the dirt road, a majority of the cars were turning around, telling me to turn around. I thought, where to? Back toward the fire? A friend behind me told me to turn around again, he had his work truck and tools, he was prepared to cut through anything necessary to create an exit. We exited the dirt road and went over a berm where construction workers were going on about their business working on a home at the top of Kaanapali at The Pinnacle and driving within inches of them. We had no idea that our other friends were behind us, the cats were scared and hiding, by the time they left, they could not get their cars out of Opukea. They ended up walking to the Civic Center. We got separated from everyone at that point, with no cell service. It took days to figure out where everyone ended up. We eventually found out Jimmy & Judy are with Dave & Britt. Johnny made it to Darcy’s in Honokwai. Sean & Cassandra were located as well. Folau, lost his parents and other relatives – our hearts and prayers are with his ohana. It took days to find Donna & Rob. Galvey has flown back to the mainland. All of the bar ohana is safe and alive., by the grace of God.
We, as a community have lost so much. I have the tiniest of moments that sadden me, when I think of all that I have lost. I remind myself that yes, it is tragic to lose all of your family history, all of my history, there is almost nothing physical or digital left. Those things, the only copies of photos we had of grandparents and other family members, that will never be replaced, as has almost everyone in Lahaina. It is all material. We remind ourselves that we have each other – THAT WE SURVIVED, physically intact. I thank God I did not head home, leaving Chris at the bar, as I would have normally done. We have been so very blessed. The majority of Lahaina have lost our homes, having fled with the clothes on our backs and are so lucky to have escaped the fate of those that are lost to us and for those that continue to suffer, and those still searching, hoping & praying to find news of loved ones and friends. Our prayers are with you. Eventually, after the healing begins, we will be able to focus on the future, moving ahead, toward brighter tomorrows, no matter how out of reach is seems today. It is out there. We will find it together. The outpouring of support from near and far has been overwhelming and bears fruit that we will get through this together.
The Sly Mongoose has been a Lahaina establishment since 1977. It has had many labels, probably the most common, is as a dive bar. Chris Long took over ‘The Goose’ in the middle of 2022. It was his long-time dream to own it & when Uncle Richard decided it was time to sell, Chris jumped at the chance. Most everyone that entered, has met or known Chris for decades. Together, he ran the bar with his other half, Georgette Uyeda Hill. We have long standing ties to the community with memories that began in childhood of our beloved town and have no plans of abandoning Lahaina.
Chris’ mom, Nancy Clark was the ‘Lahaina Mail Lady’ for 29 years - she loved her job and is always remembered fondly. My Hufalar side of the family has been here for generations. My dad, George Uyeda was a fixture at the bar, my parents had a print shop around the corner. I walked to the shop from Kam III and hung out at the bar with my dad and ‘uncles’ – who generously gave me quarters to play the video games, until my mom was done at work. We all have memories of running around town in our youth, when, if you got in trouble, your parents would know by the time you got home!
Through the years, The Goose, has never been fancy and as ownership changed, the decor did not. We did not want to change that or much else about it’s ambiance. Donna has bartended there for 25 years and is huge part of it’s history. It is where locals can hang out & afford to have a good time, meet up with friends, make new friends and escape their work day. Everyone knows at least your first name or your trade…you may end up with ‘Carpenter’, ‘Plumber’, ‘Electrician’ or ‘Carpet’ as a new first name. We want to preserve this and bring Lahaina back to life. For those that can or want to help, we would greatly appreciate any assistance!
We know Lahaina will be re-built. It will not be as it was, that is certain. We would like to see it resemble part of our past and keep Lahaina local, for the kama’aina, by the kama’aina. In that spirit, we want to re-build the bar, it may not be in the same location, that is not in our hands. We do see re-opening, having a familiar place that friends can continue to gather, reminisce and create new memories. In hopes to reach out to all of our friends, far and wide, that wish to mālama our little community and help Lahaina rise from the ashes. Lahaina has been all over the news, twelve days later, most of us on the west side have not had internet restored, so we are a bit behind the times. For us, the morning of
Tuesday, August 8, 2023, began like all other days, Chris went down to clean the bar. I headed to work in Wailuku and was denied entrance at all three exits - the radio was not reporting any news, so I stopped by the bar, with the intention of making my way home. I found our friend, Eric, sitting outside, he had been evacuated from his home on Lahainaluna due to a fire. We ended up waiting & watching the day play out in the parking lot - waiting for the all clear notice. The wind came from all directions, gusting & blowing down tree branches. Many of our ‘Goose’ ohana, stopped by, hoping the bar was open, as the electricity was out, we were forced to stay outside. None of us were prepared for what was to come or imagined that would be the end of ‘normal’ for a long time to come. We had no updates or warnings throughout the day. It was sometime between 4 & 5 pm, when we heard booming sounds nearby, we guessed that it was the stored boats blowing up in the storage yard, it could also have been the transformers blowing. Then came the thick black smoke above us, blocking out all light, engulfing us in darkness and ash, the wind would shift and it was blue skies for brief moments. It was when the intense heat engulfed us that I thought that it was time to get moving!
Other friends headed back to Opukea to pack up and get their cats. By the time they got to the end of the street, we heard a shout - “FIRE!” - the train station was ablaze. We jumped in our cars and headed for the highway. We were blocked in on the left, the electric pole was down, ahead of us, the grass along the highway was burning. The poles on the north side of Keawe Street were down, and we were forced to head up toward the bypass, where we were directed on a road above Foodland Farms toward Kaanapali. It was an evacuation with no plan, near the end of the dirt road, a majority of the cars were turning around, telling me to turn around. I thought, where to? Back toward the fire? A friend behind me told me to turn around again, he had his work truck and tools, he was prepared to cut through anything necessary to create an exit. We exited the dirt road and went over a berm where construction workers were going on about their business working on a home at the top of Kaanapali at The Pinnacle and driving within inches of them. We had no idea that our other friends were behind us, the cats were scared and hiding, by the time they left, they could not get their cars out of Opukea. They ended up walking to the Civic Center. We got separated from everyone at that point, with no cell service. It took days to figure out where everyone ended up. We eventually found out Jimmy & Judy are with Dave & Britt. Johnny made it to Darcy’s in Honokwai. Sean & Cassandra were located as well. Folau, lost his parents and other relatives – our hearts and prayers are with his ohana. It took days to find Donna & Rob. Galvey has flown back to the mainland. All of the bar ohana is safe and alive., by the grace of God.
We, as a community have lost so much. I have the tiniest of moments that sadden me, when I think of all that I have lost. I remind myself that yes, it is tragic to lose all of your family history, all of my history, there is almost nothing physical or digital left. Those things, the only copies of photos we had of grandparents and other family members, that will never be replaced, as has almost everyone in Lahaina. It is all material. We remind ourselves that we have each other – THAT WE SURVIVED, physically intact. I thank God I did not head home, leaving Chris at the bar, as I would have normally done. We have been so very blessed. The majority of Lahaina have lost our homes, having fled with the clothes on our backs and are so lucky to have escaped the fate of those that are lost to us and for those that continue to suffer, and those still searching, hoping & praying to find news of loved ones and friends. Our prayers are with you. Eventually, after the healing begins, we will be able to focus on the future, moving ahead, toward brighter tomorrows, no matter how out of reach is seems today. It is out there. We will find it together. The outpouring of support from near and far has been overwhelming and bears fruit that we will get through this together.
Organizer
Georgette Hill
Organizer
Lahaina, HI