Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Kamaka Hawaii
MUSIC
those tacky shops selling cheap plastic and wooden ukuleles. Kamaka specializes in hand-
crafted ukuleles made on Oʻahu since 1916, with prices starting at around $500. Its signa-
ture is an oval-shaped 'pineapple' ukulele that has a more mellow sound. Call ahead to
ask about free 30-minute factory tours, usually given at 10:30am Tuesdays to Fridays.
Tin Can Mailman
ANTIQUES, BOOKS
(
http://tincanmailman.net
; 1026 Nuʻuanu Ave; 11am-5pm Mon-Thu, to 4pm Fri & Sat)
If you're a
fan of vintage tiki wares and 20th-century books about the Hawaiian Islands, you'll fall in
love with this little Chinatown antiques shop. Thoughtfully collected treasures include
20th-century jewelry and ukuleles, silk aloha shirts, tropical-wood furnishings, vinyl re-
cords, rare prints and tourist brochures from the post-WWII tourism boom.
Island Slipper
SHOES
(
www.islandslipper.com
;
Ward Warehouse, 1050 Ala Moana Blvd; 10am-9pm Mon-Sat, to 8pm
Sun)
Scores of stores sell flip-flops (aka 'rubbah slippah') across Honolulu and Waikiki,
but nobody carries such ultracomfy suede, leather and neoprene styles - all made right
here in Hawaii since 1946 - let alone so many sizes, from petite to giant.
Tutuvi Sitoa
CLOTHING
(
www.tutuvi.com
; 2636 S King St; 10am-5pm Mon-Sat)
Near the UH Manoa campus, design-
er Colleen Kimura's Polynesian-themed storefront floats unique T-shirts, dresses,
paʻu
(modern hula-style) skirts,
lavalava
(pareo) beach wraps, aloha shirts and natural-fiber
sandals, all handmade and screen-printed with designs drawn from nature, like banana
leaves, hibiscus and forest ferns.
Roberta Oaks
CLOTHING
(
www.robertaoaks.com
; 19 N Pauʻahi St; 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 4pm Sat)
At the bleeding edge
of Chinatown's modern fashion evolution, here men's tailored shirts - aloha-print or
palaka
(plantation-style checkered) - are even more appealing than the women's strappy
sundresses and super-short board shorts.
