Photos by Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
Debbie Yamamoto wears a Hilo Hattie shorts set, $21.99
per piece, as she looks over the wide variety of Hawaiian
gift items for sale at the new Ala Moana store.
A new Ala Moana store proves
By Nadine Kam
this place isn't just for tourists anymore
Assistant Features Editor
Star-BulletinYears of ticky tacky tourist tastes took their toll on Hilo Hattie. The clothing manufacturer and retailer has long been presumed guilty of producing the most garish of aloha garb by association with every plump, sun-ripened, nonlocal personage that ever sank okole into the sands of Waikiki. Said personages have had a tendency to choose garments stitched from the loudest pieces of printed polyester ever invented.
Yet, as the trends turn, what's old is new, what's nerdy is cool and Hilo Hattie is suddenly hip.
Born in Kauai as Kaluna Hawaii Sportswear in 1963, Hilo Hattie had been mainly relegated to the resort scene. The store was named for hula dancer Clarissa Haili -- known for such comic hulas as "When Hilo Hattie Does the Hula Hop" and "The Cock-Eyed Mayor of Kaunakakai."
It became known as the "home of the $3.95 aloha shirt," not a distinction that would earn bragging rights in these days of billion-dollar designer names, labels and logos.
Yet it's undeniable that people now want value in addition to quality. They also want a touch of the exotic, nostalgic, playful, classic and urbane, all wadded up into the day's uniform. Tough crowd. But Hilo Hattie is game, opening early this month at Ala Moana Center with 8,300 square feet devoted to the styles and prices local customers are looking for.
"It's not as bright and touristy as I thought," said Harmony Corsi-Clark, a '96 Kamehameha Schools graduate who attends Western Washington University and is home for the summer.
"I'm getting things for some friends in school. They have some really classy gift items," she said, holding up a koa coaster with the image of a sea turtle ($10), and a tapa-and-petroglyph inspired photo album ($5.99).
By Craig T.Kojima, Star-Bulletin
William Jamora wears a 100 percent cotton camp shirt,
$24.99 at the Hilo Hattie store in Ala Moana.
She's also playing personal shopper for friends in Washington. "I have this one sundress and they all love it. They want me to look for clothes for them."Candle Tamayo, a billing clerk for Health Education Limited, was shopping for office wear. "I thought it was for tourists," she said. "I would never have gone to the store on Nimitz, but I saw this store on TV and decided to come in."
Already, she plans to shop Hilo Hattie often. "I was just over at Sears and their dresses are $60. Here, similar dresses are $45."
Jocelyn Waipa, who was shopping with her daughter Tyra, echoed Tamayo's sentiments. "We just came out of Locals Only, the surf shops and Liberty House. This store beats them all. The clothes are at least $10 cheaper.
"I thought they made clothes for tourists only, real old-lady clothes, but it's pretty hip. The styles are in and they're cool."
Meanwhile, Tyra was oohing over a pair of lace-up bellbottoms ($32.99), in a pale blue floral print that mimics reverse print.
A lot of the youth styles are reminiscent of the '70s, including Hawaiian-print dresses with neckline keyholes at $41.99, combo A-line/princess dresses at $37.99, halter-style sundresses at $27.99 and halter tops as low as $12.99.
"The clothes will still appeal to tourists," said store manager Becky Bachman. "But with this store, our buyers really worked to attract the local customer, to show that Hilo Hattie has something for recreational and work attire."
There is a large children's section. And there are still the aloha shirts and camp shirts for men. These days they run about $24.99.
And for those who never thought they'd ever embrace the idea of matching outfits, assistant manager Bonnie Emmons said families are coming in for his-and-her, mother- and-daughter looks, and more.
"They don't like the loud prints, but they'll look for understated prints for family reunions. There was a family that was going to have a reunion at the Waikiki Aquarium, so they wanted something that was tropical and fish-related."
Emmons, too, said she'd never set foot in a Hilo Hattie until she started working at the store. "It's a fun store to work in because there's a lot of fun things to look at," she said.
This includes a country store, with a more upscale outlook on souvenir items. Hawaiian quilt-patterned pillow cases, koa jewelry boxes, handpainted tiles and an assortment of cookies, candies and bottled condiments await.
"Instead of doing the touristy pick-up thing, we thought that we could offer unique products," Bachman said. "People might not buy right away, but maybe they'll think of us when they do need a gift item. We just sold a carved wooden dolphin for $750."
If that is a bit steep for your tastes, there are also carved koa gecko refrigerator magnets for $15. Believe it or not, some of those tacky souvenirs are looking mighty cool too, including desktop tikis for $4.99 to $8.99 and coconut mai tai cups for $2.50.
On Saturday, the only local who 'fessed up to setting foot in a Hilo Hattie store before was Sue Cullen, who once vacationed at home to see Hawaii from a visitor's perspective. "We stayed in Waikiki at the Pacific Beach Hotel, and we took one of those Waikiki Trolley rides. Hilo Hattie was one of the stops, and I bought a muumuu for $19. It was fun."
Just as at the Nimitz store, Hilo Hattie's Ala Moana shoppers can treat themselves to complimentary juice and coffee while browsing, and that's a sampling of aloha spirit anyone -- tourist or local -- can appreciate.
