Cleanup crews have finally started clearing out a Kaimuki Chinese restaurant more than a month after its roof collapsed, bad news for the owners, neighboring businesses, and anyone walking past.

• Happy Days has sat untouched since August 18, when the ceiling and roof fell in during lunch, leaving food on tables and in the kitchen.
• The smell is so strong that passersby gag, and cleanup workers can only stay inside 30 minutes at a time, even in heavy protective gear.
• Mold, rotting meat, and flies have taken over, and the freezer is bad enough to burn your eyes.
• Only the kitchen was cleared because the city judged it structurally safe; food in the dining room stays where it is.
• Nearby restaurants are losing customers, because people assume they are closed too or fear the same collapse.

Outlook: Cleanup should wrap up by Friday, while the property owner and its insurance company decide whether to repair or tear the building down.