HONOLULU—For legions of obsessed fans, the final episode of the ABC television series "Lost" Sunday is a catastrophic event. "There's a distinct sense of panic," says Ryan Ozawa, who runs a podcast dedicated to the show.

But for Bernie Coleman, the end of "Lost" means a lot less foam.

During its six-season run, the show paid Mr. Coleman's Oahu foam-making company about $450,000 for 1.2 million feet of foam used to make sets, from hundreds of lava rocks to a marooned ship called the Black Rock. The show consumed so much foam that it prompted a spike in resin imports to Hawaii.

"It was crazy. ["Lost"] suddenly became our second-biggest client" after the construction industry, said Mr. Coleman, president of Pacific Allied Products, Ltd. "We hate to see them go."

A "Lost" Tour in Hawaii

Tour guide Scott Burchett stops at "Lost" location on Kualoa Ranch on Oahu, where a memorable scene of the show's characters playing golf was shot. Tamara Audi/The Wall Street Journal

Crews are busy dismantling the show. The foam lava rocks are being turned into mulch. The Black Rock exploded in a recent episode.

Some pieces, like a bomb nicknamed "Jughead" that figured prominently in the show's plot, were shipped to New York for an exhibit. Others, including a lottery ticket that belonged to the character Hurley, will be auctioned off.

"Lost," which centers on a group of plane-crash survivors trying to escape a mysterious island, was a TV sensation. Its narrative of flashbacks and time travel was so complex that it spawned online communities dedicated to dissecting its various plot twists.

In Hawaii, however, where it was filmed, the show sparked a miniature economic boom, offering full-time employment to nearly 800 local stagehands, security guards and others, and hiring around 1,200 suppliers. Now, many of those who made a living off "Lost" are trying to figure out what to do next.

"This show was my life for seven years," says Dustin Gomes, a "Lost" location scout who started on the show when he was just 22 years old. Before the show, he had worked as a bank teller and Starbucks barista. "It's weird and sad to see it end."

Mr. Gomes looked all over the island for locations where Oahu could be made to look like New York, London and Iraq. To mimic Moscow's Red Square, he chose the Bishop Museum, housed in a historic Honolulu building. "We removed trees and brought in truckloads of [artificial] snow and laid it all over the ground," Mr. Gomes says. "Boom. You have Moscow." In doing his work, Mr. Gomes sweet-talked property owners, thrilled local fans with trinkets from the show and hobnobbed with actors and producers.

These days, he spends most of his time making beer at home, with plans to start his own microbrew label. Mr. Gomes also hopes to land work on one of the many movies scheduled to film in Hawaii this year. So far, he says, work has been sporadic.

" 'Lost' was the cash cow that lived here for six years," Mr. Gomes says. "People are worried about what's next."

According to state records, between 2004 and 2010, "Lost" spent about $400 million in Hawaii.

Because of a generous tax credit, Hawaii continues to attract TV and movie productions, like Walt Disney's latest "Pirates of the Caribbean" sequel. This year, the film and television industry is expected to spend around $260 million in Hawaii—nearly double what it spent last year—according to the state's film office.

But "Lost" was a rare island of stability in an otherwise erratic industry. The state hadn't had a long-running production since "Magnum, P.I." shut down in 1988 after eight seasons. Many hope that "Hawaii Five-O," a remake of the original series that started in the 1960s, will be a hit for CBS. The series begins filming in Hawaii this year, and features "Lost" star Daniel Dae Kim.

Jean Higgins, Lost's executive producer, says the show is proving it can serve as a stand-in for anyplace. Ms. Higgins says crews are now cleaning and restoring outdoor locations to erase any remnants of "Lost," in order to return sets to their natural state. "We're making it look like we were never here," she says.

Ed Kos is hoping "Lost" leaves some evidence. Mr. Kos is trying to persuade the show's producers and a private land owner to leave a giant temple standing to help sustain his tour business.

Production of the television series "Lost" was an economic boon for Hawaii. WSJ's Tamara Audi on the end of an era.

When he started his business in 2003, the year before "Lost" first aired, he took 147 people on tours of movie and TV sites around Oahu. After "Lost" became a hit, Mr. Kos created tours catering to "Lost" fans. Last year, 3,800 people took Mr. Kos's "Lost" tours ranging in price from $139 to $209 per person.

"This is a beyond-normal show," says Mr. Kos, a former Marine and a "Lost" fan.

In order to work for Mr. Kos, job candidates must answer a number of "Lost" questions, including: Who killed Shannon? (the Ana Lucia character) and, How did Goodwin die? (He was impaled on a walking stick during a fight.)

"I can train someone to drive a Hummer. I can't train them to be a "Lost" fan," Mr. Kos says.

On a recent tour, guide Scotty Burchett maneuvered through Honolulu streets, excitedly pointing out "Lost" sites while fans gawked. "Guys, that's the Sydney airport! That's where Ben shot Desmond!"

When Mr. Burchett drove through a jungle road where the show was shooting that morning, "Lost" tourist Lisa Fancher, a web developer from Moore, Okla., rolled down her window and craned her neck to spot actors. "Just leave me here!" she shouted to Mr. Burchett.

He cautioned her to stay in the car. "Once a girl on this tour saw Sawyer [actor Josh Holloway ] and dove over my seat and kneed me in the crotch," Mr. Burchett said. "Not good."

Mr. Kos, the tour owner, said he believes there will be plenty of obsessed "Lost" fans feeding his business for years to come. "There are still 'Star Trek' fans, right?"

Write to Tamara Audi at tammy.audi@wsj.com