Volcano eCigs to Close All Hawaii Stores

Jocor Enterprises LLC will shut its 13 Volcano eCigs retail shops across Hawaii at year's end, laying off about 56 employees.

Updated on Nov. 15, 2026 in Openings & Closings

Closed corrugated metal shutter on a cream stucco storefront beside a palm tree over an empty tropical sidewalk, in flat daylight. — Volcano eCigs will close all 13 of its Hawaii shops by December 31, laying off about 56 employees after new state vape rules. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Jocor Enterprises LLC, doing business as Volcano eCigs, will permanently close its retail vape operations on December 31, 2026. The closures cover 13 shops across Oahu, Maui and the Big Island, affecting approximately 56 employees.

Why it matters

The closure follows changes to Hawaii's regulatory environment governing the sale of electronic smoking products, including a ban on disposable vapes starting in January. The company, which has operated in Hawaii since 2009, cited these regulatory changes as the reason for the shutdown.

Volcano eCigs is closing 13 retail shops and laying off about 56 employees as of December 31, 2026. Only 48 e-cigarettes had FDA authorization as of August 28, and the company has not said whether any of its products will remain available in Hawaii.

The players

Jocor Enterprises LLC

Jocor Enterprises LLC is the company that operates the Volcano eCigs vape shops and has served Hawaii customers since 2009.

Hawaii Smokers Alliance

The Hawaii Smokers Alliance is an advocacy group that opposed House Bill 1573, calling it excessive and anti-competitive.

The details

Under Act 189, the sale and distribution of disposable vapes is banned in Hawaii starting in January, and under Act 190, signed into law by Gov. Josh Green in July, manufacturers must certify annually with the state Department of the Attorney General Tobacco Enforcement Unit that they hold an FDA marketing granted order, at a $1,000 fee. Starting in January, only products on a state-published certified list may be legally sold, and unauthorized products face seizure and fines of $500 per product for first violations.

July 2026: Gov. Josh Green signed Act 190 into law.
October 2026: Annual manufacturer certification requirement begins.
December 31, 2026: Volcano retail operations close and most employees are laid off.
January 15, 2027: Remaining employees finish administrative closeout activities.

Market Landscape

The closures are a direct result of Hawaii Acts 189 and 190, which restrict legal vape sales to FDA-authorized products listed by the state. Because only 48 e-cigarettes held FDA authorization as of August 28, the state's certification rules narrow the legal product pool for retailers like Volcano eCigs.

Hawaii residents who buy vape products from Volcano eCigs will lose access to those shops after December 31, 2026. Any product not on the state's certified list will be illegal to sell starting in January, which may limit what remaining retailers can offer.

The takeaway

Customers who rely on Volcano eCigs should check the state's certified product list before January to identify which products remain legal to buy in Hawaii.

What happens next

Most Volcano eCigs employees will be laid off on December 31, 2026, while a few remain through January 15, 2027 for closeout work. The state's certified-product sales rules take effect in January 2027.