Hilo Hatties
 

Is there a Hilo Hatties on Kauai?

Yes

Hilo Hattie is everywhere. There are buses that go to HIlo Hattie. Actually there is a big store in Lihue right on the main highway. Watch out for the white shoe brigade!

Initially I refused to go to the Hilo Hatties with my wife. Turned out, the shirts were much better than I thought they would be. If you need a few trinkets to bring home, it is not a bad place to stop.

Actually, if you need trinkets to bring home, Wal Mart in Lihue isn't a bad place to shop either.

Most of the Hilo Hatties stuff isn't made in Hawaii!<BR>

I don't want to sound like an old timer but I can remember when you could go into Hilo Hatties and actually have a bathing suit, mumu, or shirt made on the spot in the same day and watch them do it while sipping some pineapple juice. Ah, the old days. I'm afraid most of their stuff today is imported and you can get most of it cheaper elsewhere. ABC stores, Walmart etc.

My daughter wanted to buy a set of hawiian print car seat covers at HH last March. They wanted over $40!! She ended up picking up a set here in Milwaukee at Walmart for $12!! Apparently shipping from Taiwan to the midwest is cheaper than shipping from Taiwan to Hawaii.

I'm pretty sure that Hilo Hattie's Hawaiian shirts are made there. When we visited the big store in Honolulu about 3 years ago, the store had a big picture-window-size hole through which we could watch the sweatshop, er, seamstresses making them.

I believe the garments that bear the Hilo Hattie label are made in Hawaii. They have a nice line of silk ahoha wear. Be sure to check their sale racks especially at the Nimitz store, we found a beautiful light green silk Tommy Bahama shirt for $45 in March - what a find! I agree the rest of the stuff can probably be purchased cheaper elsewhere.

I have been told by several sources that the stuff at HH's is NOT locally made any more. In fact,when I was there in March 02, there was an article in the paper about layoffs from the HH factory in Taiwan.<BR>Maybe some stuff is still local, but certainly not all.

Hilo Hatties is a good source center for ticky tack Hawaiiana. In other words your one stop shop for junk. Not knocking it I always leave with a bag of Hurricane popcorn or coconut syrup just not a place to go out of your way for. You don't see much here that you don't see in various smaller gift shops along your trip.<BR><BR>The real stuff Bishop Museum gift shop in Waikiki near the Ilikai end. There is another locally crafted gift shop in downtown Honoululu. Here you can find hand made baskets (Polynesian style), quilts, wood boxes and quality gifts. ANYBODY KNOW THE NAME OF THIS PLACE. Nohea Gallery inside the Sheraton Moana is another shop. Homes section in any Liberty House unless the new ownership of Macey's has changed all of this.<BR><BR>Oh but you wanted Kauai. I will be checking out the gift shop at Bishop Museum.

Is the Kauai Museum part of the Bishop Museum this is what I was referring to above

karen- are you thinking of Native Books and Beautiful Things? they used to be downtown, but are now only at Ward Warehouse. Nohea gallery is also at Ward Warehouse. Another nice local gift gallery is on the grounds of Willows restaraunt. No clothing there though.