COVINGTON, Ky. — Kealoha's Kitchen, an authentic Hawaiian restaurant in Covington, is closing its doors.
Owner Val Abafo announced on social media that the restaurant will close after five years of business on Oct. 12.
"It’s with a heavy heart that I announce tonight the closing of Kealoha’s Kitchen," Abafo said. "Amy & I always have said if we can pay the bills, we’ll do it! Lately we haven’t been able to do it, so we will close this chapter & see what the future brings!"
The news comes just eight months after community members, including Bengals receiver Andrei Iosivas, rallied around the restaurant when Abafo announced they were struggling to stay open.
When we spoke to Abafo in February, he said Kealoha's started as a food truck that was so successful it sold out in two hours on its first day. They were able to move into their own restaurant in 2023, but by the end of 2024, sales were down 37%.
WATCH: How the community rallied around this family restaurant
The restaurant posted on social media asking for help from the community, who responded by packing Kealoha's for multiple weeks earlier this year. Abafo told us they were also trying to stay open later, hoping it would help sales.
However, the restaurant's most recent social media post says they weren't able to stay afloat.
"Though we're saying goodbye to daily service, the love and connections built here will always remain part of our story," the message says.
