Celebrating a Long Time Advertiser: Harbor Gallery
Gunner and Elli Mench have owned Harbor Gallery in Kawaihae since 2004 when they purchased it from the previous owners. Peter and Lynne Tucker acquired the gallery from the original owner Dee Chapon who opened the gallery as Kohala Kollection 26 years ago in 1990.
The Menches have worked tirelessly to bring the highest quality local artwork to Hawai‘i Island residents and worldwide visitors. They are currently featuring more than 200 local artists!
Twice a year Harbor Gallery has wood shows, in the Winter and Summer. The 2016 Summer Wood show will be July 2 through August 6. There are four categories in the competition: Turning, Open, Sculpture, and Joinery, plus a fifth award for the Best of Show. Dozens of local woodworkers will be entering again.
During the rest of the year, you can always find incredible handcrafted wood art, in addition to a full presentation of mediums including wall art, sculpture, ceramics, and koa wood furniture.
Some of the 200 artists regularly featured are Kristi Kranz, Dan Young, John Mydock, Scott Hare, Edwin Kayton, Thomas Pasquale, Ethan Tweedie, Frank Chase, and Vicki Chock to mention a few.
You can discover the best collection of Ni‘ihau Shell jewelry on Hawai‘i Island. In fact, Harbor Gallery is the only storerecognized by the Ni‘ihau Cultural Heritage Foundation for their collection and knowledge of Ni‘ihau Shell Jewelry in Hawai‘i.
Also featured is a line of popular Cork Handbags made in Hilo by Sew Da Kine, with a colorful selection and popular styles. You can see the fine quality in every piece that is handcrafted!
Harbor Gallery also carries Charms of Aloha, a popular Maui based sterling silver line of jewelry. The Charms of Aloha celebrate the aloha spirit: a positive attitude towards life. They reflect an appreciation for nature and all of its creatures, particularly those found here in Hawai‘i.
On a personal level, Gunner and Elli are passionate about giving back to their island community. Gunner has been involved with many civic organizations thanks to Elli’s allowing him the time to attend and lead meetings.
A portion of the proceeds of their twice a year wood shows goes to the Kohala Watershed Partnership, and so far they’ve donated more than $39,000 in the past six years to protect the watershed and local waters!
The goal of the Kohala Watershed Partnership is “to develop in our community’s adults and children an ethic of stewardship for our natural resources by engaging their minds through natural science, and touching their hearts with the power and beauty of nature.” KWP has many ways the community can get involved, from volunteering to internships. They offer outreach to schools and many other opportunities.
Another of Gunner and Elli’s passions is animals. They have taken on the responsibility of caring for the Kawaihae area’s feral cat population and made it manageable. The cats have a job as natural rodent eradicators and with Gunner and Elli’s care, they are a welcome addition to the shopping center’s parking area and visitors. Some days you may also be greeted by Elli’s dog Zeus who has made many friends!
We thank Gunner and Elli for being long time advertisers in Ke Ola Magazine. They continue to value the help Ke Ola offers them to share the word about their special gallery.
Harbor Gallery
Kawaihae Shopping Center
61-3665 Akoni Pule Hwy., Kawaihae
Daily, 11:30am–8:30pm
808.882.1510
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