Hilo Hattie's cutting back stores

[rickandcindy23]

My mother-in-law used to spend lots of money at Hilo Hattie, and she still buys a shirt or two there every trip.

We went to HH this past trip earlier this month, and we were disappointed to see the Lahaina store reduced by at least 2/3, as someone stated before, and their variety of clothing reduced right along with the store size.

I am sorry to see Hilo Hattie's other store on Maui closed completely. It was a beautiful store too.

But we did buy Dole Whip, and Mom was enamored with it. She voted to go back several more times, so we did. We told her we have been buying it in Disneyland for years and years.

 

[jacknsara]

And more's the pity, cause I'm sure Costco's Hawaiian clothing is Hawaiian in name only, and is sourced from a much lower cost place. It has to be, to sell shirts for $10. . . .
Fern

Aloha Fern,
I can't speak for the $10 Costco shirts because mine were much closer to $20. All of mine are labelled made in Hawaii - albeit with imported fabric.
Jack

 

[n777lt]

Aloha Fern,
I can't speak for the $10 Costco shirts because mine were much closer to $20. All of mine are labelled made in Hawaii - albeit with imported fabric.
Jack

Yes the $10 was a typo, but the shirts ARE made in Hawaii, the workmanship is terrific, the fabric patterns very much island motifs. I don't know about Jack's, but a couple of my husband's have the shirts made with the "wrong" side out -- and they look so good we assume that was on purpose and not an error.

I won't miss Hilo Hattie's, having never been in one in almost 20 years of visiting Kauai and Maui, but its decline is startling. Its advertising was ubiquitous! Given that the economy and tourism have been on the rebound from 2008-2010, I assume that it is the victim of competition from the big box stores, the ubiquitous ABCs, and ??? I had no idea that HH was a particularly local operation.

 

[DaveNV]

I don't know about Jack's, but a couple of my husband's have the shirts made with the "wrong" side out -- and they look so good we assume that was on purpose and not an error.

That kind of fabric treatment (making shirts with the fabric wrong-side-out) is quite deliberate. It started in the 1960's, as a kind of toning-down of the boldness of most Hawaiian print fabrics. It added a "cool" factor of class to a very common style of clothing.

I remember being excited when i bought my first one of that style for a high school dance I was attending. It came from Liberty House, and I spent a fortune for it. We were ALL about our version of high class at my high school on Oahu - Aloha shirts, surf shorts, and bare feet - at the dances they held in the gymnasium with rolled-out ribbed rubber floor mats on the wooden floor. How can you dance on ribbed rubber mats with bare feet? I have no idea, but we did it.

Dave

 

[jacknsara]

Garden Island article: Despite bankruptcy, Lihue’s iconic Hilo Hattie is open and thr

http://thegardenisland.com/news/loc...cle_d347068c-8057-543f-97cc-6ea7ab548be1.html

 

[linsj]

Main store now closed

The main store closed October 26:
http://www.hilohattie.com/blogs/new...closes-nimitz-after-35-years-of-sharing-aloha

Only three stores left: Ala Moana mall on Oahu, Kauai, and outlet mall on Maui.

 

[Sugarcubesea]

So for someone who has never been to Hawaii, where would be a good place to find some quality hawaiian clothes to take home?

 

[Luanne]

So for someone who has never been to Hawaii, where would be a good place to find some quality hawaiian clothes to take home?

My husband really likes Tori Richards shirts. They are a Honolulu based company. They have their own stores, and you can find them in other stores as well. Not cheap, but some beautiful shirts. I'm not as thrilled with their women's line. I tend to find things I like at small stores.

 

[DaveNV]

So for someone who has never been to Hawaii, where would be a good place to find some quality hawaiian clothes to take home?

Which island?

Dave

 

[Luanne]

So for someone who has never been to Hawaii, where would be a good place to find some quality hawaiian clothes to take home?

I should have added that I also like Blue Ginger for women's clothing (sometimes). Another chain based in Hawaii. I think they only sell clothing at their own stores. You can check their website for locations. Again, not cheap, but nice quality. And things you won't find all over the place.

http://www.blueginger.com/

 

[Tamaradarann]

Reasonably prices Aloha Shirts made in Hawaii

On a related topic, I was impressed with the shirts at the Kahala store at Whaler's Village on Maui earlier this year. I wasn't impressed with the price. I'd like to support local businesses...so I found many of their shirts available on Amazon for significantly less, not all varieties, but I now have 5-6 shirts that cost an average of ~$28 vs the $85 or so they wanted retail. Most made in Hawaii. No need to buy while visiting unless that part of the mystique is what interests you.

http://www.kahala.com


Sent from my iPad

My husband has a nice collection of Made in Hawaii Aloha shirts some he bought others I did. We never paid the ridiculous $85 or more dollars that some of the places charge. Even his Tori Richards shirts were half price at around $45. His shirts are in the $20-45 dollar range and all made in Hawaii, he would not have any that weren't. We stay for many days in Hawaii every year and rarely if ever do we see any of his shirts on others. Perhaps its because he has bought some on every island that we have visited and we have been on 6 of them.

 

[n777lt]

As I mentioned before, my husband got some striking and well-made shirts (patterns matched, even on the placket) at Costco in Kahalui for under $20. No need for Tori Richards. But the stock is going to be hit-or-miss there, so you might check early in your stay and then have time to go somewhere else if you strike out at Costco.

 

[Luanne]

As I mentioned before, my husband got some striking and well-made shirts (patterns matched, even on the placket) at Costco in Kahalui for under $20. No need for Tori Richards. But the stock is going to be hit-or-miss there, so you might check early in your stay and then have time to go somewhere else if you strike out at Costco.

There may be no "need" for Tori Richards, but my dh really enjoys the ones he has. And really, is there any "need" for any Hawaiian shirt?

 

[linsj]

So for someone who has never been to Hawaii, where would be a good place to find some quality hawaiian clothes to take home?

Big Island find: Ohana Casual Wear in the Kona International Market. I've been looking for several years for women's aloha shirts in cotton (more comfortable to wear than rayon and easier to take care of) that aren't expensive. I found them in this store for $30 last September; made in Hawaii. Lots of other types of Hawaiian clothing for everyone.