The Life in Business: Okolemaluna Tiki Lounge

Brice and Lisa Ginardi, owners of Okolemaluna Tiki Lounge, always enjoyed making classic-recipe cocktails at home when entertaining friends, using fine ingredients and cocktail components.

“We always make our own cocktail components (such as juices, syrups), and we use the freshest local produce and finest spirits we can find,” says Lisa. “When we’d go out, we didn’t find the same quality we had at home. Since we couldn’t open our home to the public, we basically made the lounge into our public living room—it’s a place full of our personal memorabilia and a place to entertain friends, both new and old.”

People are surprised to discover the difference in cocktail ingredients, she says. “Educating the public is the hardest part, demonstrating that classic, tropical cocktails (as they were invented and as we do them) aren’t the pre-packaged, low-end concoctions that most people think of. We’re preaching the gospel of quality ingredients in tropical drinks, and showing that farm-to-table doesn’t just apply to the food on your plate, but can also apply to the drink in your glass (or tiki mug, as the case may be). We have put together a small-scale combination of green business practices, artisanal preparations and local/seasonal ingredients that we feel makes us unique.”

Okolemaluna, translated from Hawaiian as “bottoms up,” is tucked away, off Ali‘i Drive, as the owners wanted to be right in Kailua-Kona, but with a more quiet, relaxed atmosphere. Located in Ali‘i Sunset Plaza (next to Coconut Marketplace), it has a bit of an ocean view and lots of free parking!

“I think we appeal to three different market segments: locals who appreciate quality and look to support green/like-minded businesses, young locals looking for a new and different place to gather, and older folks who feel a sense of nostalgia about our place; they remember when tiki bars like ours still existed,” says Lisa.

As a very small, mom-and-pop operation, customers can find one or both of the owners working behind the bar or in the kitchen nearly every day of the week. Prior to having their own business, Brice has worked for years as a mechanic and bartender. Lisa has worked in high-tech for 10 years and as a personal chef.

Okolemaluna
75-5799 Ali‘i Dr., in Ali‘i Sunset Plaza next to Lava Java & U Top It
808.883.TIKI (8454)
www.okolemalunalounge.com