Talk Story with an Advertiser: Kelly Shaw with Koa Reality, Inc.
Kelly Shaw has worked with different kinds of people since she was 14 years old, spending many years working with special needs populations and families in crisis. Moving to Hawai‘i Island in 1998, her first job on-island was as a…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Plantation Living and Interiors
Dana Mattos is hooked on collecting vintage Hawaiiana. It all began in 1979 during her senior year at Konawaena High School when she got a job at Hula Heaven/Flamingo’s, a well-known retail store in Kailua-Kona that featured new and vintage Hawaiiana.…
Island Treasures: Hawaiian Dolls—Wood Valley
As a little girl in Germany, Sabine Hendreschke had about 30 dolls that all had a name and a “soul.” Her childhood was filled with fairy tales and magic. One of her most cherished toys was a coconut cradle that her parents…
Island Treasures: High Country Farm—Honoka‘a
By Sara Hayashi Protea flowers originate from the southern hemisphere, and their unusual shapes give them an otherworldly appearance. High Country Farm has 1.5 acres of these unique flowers on the Hamakua Coast. Shortly after she moved to Hawai‘i Island,…
Managing with Aloha: Kūlia i ka nu‘u
Kūlia i ka nu‘u: The value of achievement. “Strive to reach the summit.” Pursue personal excellence in all you do. Sixth in an ongoing series. By Rosa Say As the Hawaiian value of achievement, Kūlia i ka nu‘u promotes personal…
Then & Now: Hilo Sugar Mill/Wainaku Center
By Denise Laitinen Situated on the sea cliffs just north of Hilo and tucked behind old concrete walls is the former Hilo Sugar Mill, which in its heyday processed 1,400 tons of sugar a day. Now, surrounded by tropical flowers…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Fabric Gift Shoppe
Honya Sawinski’s background is business and theatre. After college she got a job at the Hayloft Dinner Theatre in a barn with a big silo in north Virginia. Besides waiting on tables, she worked with the costumers. One day, she…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Mi’s Wine & Cheese Shoppe
Morgan Starr graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in June of 1997, just two years after graduating high school. First, he worked in New York, then, Las Vegas where he helped open the Venetian Hotel. While still in his…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: ProVision Solar Inc.
ProVision Solar is Hawai‘i Island’s first solar electric construction company. When solar was a relatively new concept, it was challenging to convince people that the technology was safe, reliable, and would actually save them money in the long term. Now,…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Big Island BookBuyers
With books stacked from ceiling to floor, Big Island BookBuyers is a refreshing sight for anyone who still loves the physically printed word. Whether you’re looking for a guide to the island or a literary adventure to another world, there…
Island Treasures: Garden Inspirations, Inc.—Kailua-Kona
Garden Inspirations creates cast stone outdoor décor—decorative and functional concrete pieces that include fountains, planters, furniture, and statues. Each piece is stained and finished so it performs well in our tropical environment as well as reflecting the design styles prevalent…
Island Treasures: Aloha Adirondack—Hilo
By Sara Hayashi James Sutherland likes to make “old fashioned things that are comfortable and make people smile,” and his simple, beautiful chairs do just that. Aloha Adirondack chairs are New England style chairs with a Hawaiian feel. James was…
Managing with Aloha: Ho‘omau
Ho‘omau: The value of perseverance. To persist, to continue, to perpetuate. Never give up. Fifth in an ongoing series. By Rosa Say Several managers have told me Managing with Aloha’s chapter on Ho‘omau is their favorite, and I can easily…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Bamboo Too
Bamboo Two owner, Kacey Parker, hails from northern California. He came to Hawai‘i Island 30 years ago. “I originally started my business selling mats to local restaurants and hotels, as Aloha State Matting. About 14 years ago, my customers started…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: East Hawaii Veterinary Center, LLC
By Sara Hayashi For most of us, our furry companions are more than just pets; they are treasured members of the family. At East Hawaii Veterinary Center, Dr. Alfred Mina and his dedicated team are here to help. East Hawaii…
Island Treasures: Kailua Village Artists Gallery—Kailua-Kona
The Kailua Village Artists Gallery, Inc. (KVA) is a cooperative organization that offers original art made by local artists from Hawai‘i Island. The gallery features an eclectic display of reasonably priced original artwork including paintings in acrylic, gouache, mixed media,…
Island Treasures: Fahrenheit 2400—Volcano
“There is something both dramatic and dynamic about the manipulation of a molten mass of glass, such that the process has almost as much appeal for me as does the product. Hot glass is a medium in constant motion, where…
Managing with Aloha: ‘Imi Ola
‘Imi ola: To seek best life. Our purpose in life is to seek its highest form. The value of mission and vision. Fourth in an ongoing series. By Rosa Say To ‘Imi ola is to seek life. When we practice…
The Man Behind the Flowers: Peter Honeyman Transforms Botany Into Art
By Le‘a Gleason Peter Honeyman stands inside a booth at the Hilo Farmers Market addressing passersby. “That’s not silk, it’s not a fabric, not a synthetic. They’re all the real thing,” he says, pointing. It’s hot. Everyone who passes by…
Hawai‘i Island Business: Sole Comfort
By Sara Hayash Some people shop for shoes based primarily on style. At Sole Comfort, located in the Hilo Shopping Center, you can find shoes that don’t sacrifice comfort in the name of fashion. After opening his current podiatry practice…
Hawai‘i Island Business: Sushi Rock
By Lily Hoskinson-Weinstein Ten years ago, Peter Pomeranze decided to take a leap of faith and start a restaurant purely inspired by all the available products here on the island; the bounty of fresh produce, island grass-fed beef, Hāmākua goat…
Hawai‘i Island Business: Amici Italian Bar and Grill
By Sara Hayash Amici means “friends” in Italian, and this is the feeling that owner and chef, Gianni Saffoti, strives to provide at Amici Italian Bar and Grill in Kona. “I wanted it to be a place where people can…
Island Treasures: Living Arts Gallery, Hawi
By Lily Hoskinson-Weinstein Connie Firestone and Mary Sky Schoolcraft have been working side by side at the Living Arts Gallery since its inception in 2009 with the motto, “Take Heart, Make ART.” Connie’s series of Guardians studio paintings are sleek,…
Island Treasures: Simple Elegance Gems, Kailua-Kona
By Lily Hoskinson-Weinstein When you buy something made with passion and love, you can feel it. Wendy Greenfield has been collecting stones all her life, and when she moved to Hawai‘i Island five years ago, she expanded her creative outlet…
Managing with Aloha: Ho‘ohana
Ho‘ohana: The value of worthwhile work. To work with intent and with purpose.Third in an ongoing series. By Rosa Say WORK can be a time when you are actively bringing meaning, fulfillment, and fun to the life you lead. To…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Lyman Museum and Mission House
The Lyman Museum led by Barbara Moir, Executive Director, and Richard Henderson, Board Chairman, is one of only four nationally accredited museums in the State of Hawai‘i and a Smithsonian Affiliate. This year marks the 180th anniversary of the arrival…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Golden Egg Cash Assets
The Golden Egg is a women-run, locally owned store that buys miscellaneous gold, silver, platinum, dental gold, silverware, and gold and silver coins. One of their policies is that you will never feel pressured to sell anything that you are…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Facial Fitness Hawai‘i
Marty Dean started Facial Fitness Hawaii in 1993 because she understood there was a need for a holistic approach to skin and body care. Constantly keeping up with the latest education, she is a living example of walking her talk…
Island Treasures: Martin & MacArthur
Martin & MacArthur has been making fine furniture longer than any individual or company in the history of Hawai‘i. They are the fine furniture maker of ‘Iolani Palace and fine Hawai‘i resorts such as the Royal Hawaiian, the Moana Surfrider,…
Island Treasures: Blue Ginger Gallery
Till Ami Meyers brought her silk art to Hawai‘i in 1985. Today she creates one-of-a-kind paintings in all medias and still designs and merchandises for other artists. Her interest in art began at an early age when her mother introduced…
