Kahului’s “space problem” is real because the activity level is realIf you run a business in Kahului, you’re operating in a place that punches above its size. The U.S. Census Bureau reports 28,219 residents in the Kahului CDP (2020 Census), but the commercial workload is bigger than the population alone suggests.Kahului is also where a lot of Maui’s movement concentrates. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics reports ~3.27 million arriving and ~3.26 million departing passengers in 2024 for Kahului Airport (U.S. flights only). And Hawai‘i DOT’s cargo overview shows Kahului Harbor throughput of 1.97 million short tons in fiscal year 2024.That combination of residents, visitors, and freight creates a simple operational reality for local business owners: you need space that flexes. And when you outgrow closets, backrooms, and jobsite piles, large storage units become the easiest way to add capacity without moving locations.What “large” looks like at Great American Self Storage of KahuluiAt Great American Self Storage in Kahului (40 Pulehu Pl), the facility lists large unit sizes like 10' x 20', 11' x 20', and 10' x 25' on its availability/rate selector sizes that typically move you from “putting things away” to “running a system.”On the company’s unit size guide, 10x20 is categorized as a Large unit (with the next common step up being larger formats like 10x30 in general sizing guidance). (Availability varies by location, so the key takeaway is: Kahului offers multiple options at/above 10x20. )Why large units work especially well for businesses in KahuluiLarge units make sense in Kahului because the local economy has major categories that naturally create “stuff” not in a messy way, but in a normal operational way. The Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism shows, at the county level, that Maui added jobs in sectors like food services & drinking places, accommodation, and health care & social assistance in recent reporting industries that rely on supplies, equipment, and quick turnarounds. Those are exactly the kinds of businesses that benefit from having a dedicated, organized staging space. Kahului’s top industries and recreation create “big-space” storage demand In Kahului, large self storage units make sense because the town sits inside the busiest part of Central Maui’s working economy. The U.S. Census Bureau reports 28,219 residents in the Kahului CDP (2020), but the day-to-day “stuff” moving through the area is amplified by transportation and tourism patterns. Bureau of Transportation Statistics shows Kahului Airport (OGG) handled roughly 3.27M arriving and 3.26M departing passengers in 2024 (U.S. flights summary), which tends to support a high concentration of visitor-serving operations, suppliers, and service businesses that cycle through inventory and equipment. On the freight side, Hawai‘i DOT’s public cargo overview reports statewide FY2024 cargo totals and identifies the neighbor-island port system where Port of Kahului is a core node one reason local businesses often need overflow space for receiving, stocking, and project staging when deliveries arrive in bursts.Those patterns show up in the industries that matter most for “why storage” in Central Maui. Maui County’s own profile describes tourism and construction as leading components of the county economy (with other sectors also present), which is exactly the combination that creates bulky items and seasonal peaks fixtures, materials, supplies, and rotating equipment that don’t fit neatly onsite. More recently, Hawaii DBEDT reported that in Q2 2025 (vs. the same quarter in 2024), Maui County’s largest job gains were in Food Services & Drinking Places, Accommodation, and Health Care & Social Assistance sectors that routinely accumulate backstock, maintenance supplies, replacement items, records, and operational “kits.” When those industries grow, it’s common for businesses to outgrow closets and backrooms long before they’re ready to upgrade to bigger commercial leases, which is where large self storage units become a practical “buffer zone” for overflow inventory, equipment, and staged materials.Recreation adds another major, Kahului-specific storage driver especially for large units that can hold awkward gear. Kanahā Beach Park is explicitly listed by Maui County with activities including windsurfing, kite surfing, camping, mountain biking, and canoeing, and the Hawai‘i tourism site notes it’s world-known for windsurfing and also used for swimming/diving. Those activities translate into the kinds of items that take up real space at home or in a business: boards and sails, kites and pumps, bikes, coolers, canopies, folding gear, paddles, event tents, and maintenance totes. For local operators and service providers supporting those activities (rentals, guides, repair, events, vendors), storage often becomes the place where gear is kept organized, protected, and ready to deploy without turning a storefront, garage, or yard into a permanent pile.Facility features that help large-unit business storage work betterFor large-unit customers, the “unit size” is only half the story. The other half is whether the facility makes loading, organizing, and controlling access easier.Great American Self Storage of Kahului lists features including air conditioning, extra-wide drive aisles, Bluetooth-enabled locks, multi-door access, and high ceilings. Wide aisles matter when you’re moving bulk loads; high ceilings can help when you add shelving; and Bluetooth locks can simplify access management when more than one person needs entry.A practical “large unit” setup that saves time fastIf you want a large unit to actually improve operations (not become a second messy garage), set it up like a workspace: Keep a clear center aisle so you can reach the back without moving everything. Put your heaviest items on the floor along the sides, then build a simple zone system inventory, tools, supplies, fixtures, so you always know where something goes and where it gets returned.If you’re unsure which large size fits best, the company’s size guide is a quick way to sanity-check what a “Large” unit like 10x20 is generally meant to hold. Kahului businesses don’t just need “more storage.” They need space that makes operations smoother especially in a hub where passengers, cargo, and service cycles create constant motion. If your business is fighting clutter, staging problems, or inventory bottlenecks, a large unit (10x20, 11x20, or 10x25) can be the simplest way to add capacity without changing your address.
