What’s in
store for
Christmas
Art and craft stores offer
By Cynthia Oi
one-of-a-kind pieces that craft
fairs are known for with the
added perk of a street address
Star-BulletinCousin Hannah loves the T-shirt dress you gave her for Christmas, but it's a tad tight. She calls to ask where you bought it so that she can exchange it. Craft fair, you say. Oh, she says.
Craft fairs offer a wealth of original or handmade goods at good prices, but fairs are transient by nature; an exchange or return would be difficult, if not impossible.
Here's where craft and art shops come in. These stores have some of the same products sold at fairs, and more. Because they have a permanent site, items can be exchanged, returned -- or if you really like something -- found again. Custom products also may be available. And you don't have to brave bad weather and parking hassles, or fit a fair in on a busy Saturday when there's grocery shopping and laundry to be done.
We surveyed some of these stores around Oahu. Here are a few worth a look:
Jeff Chang Pottery & Fine Crafts Shop, 45-781B Kamehameha Highway, Kaneohe, 235-2808. Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
This store is packed with unique products. Owners Karon and Jeff Chang know each of the artisans whose works they sell, and stress that each piece in their shop is handmade, mostly in Hawaii. Prices range from $3 to $650. Among the hundreds of items of note are artfully crafted maple wood boxes with ebonized lids by Randy Cook ($135-$185), Pyrex bracelets with colorful swirls and designs by Ann Miller ($48-$78), a music box with ceramic cats -- it plays "Memories" -- by Joyce Canan ($68), Celtic design rings by Wayne Boring (38-$45) and koa barrettes ($18-12).
There's jewelry made of polymer, stone, silver, beads, glass and other materials in a range of prices, lamps, wood works, mirrors, bottles, vases, and fountains.
Of course, Jeff Chang's ceramics are the store's centerpiece line, in a wealth of styles and designs, both decorative and utilitarian ($7.50-$55).
One of the highlights here is furniture and other wood products by Louis Silva at reasonable prices: a sturdy, well-made pine bench for $52, quilt racks at $38 and wall cabinets for $36.
But wood isn't the only attraction. This airy, well-laid out store has tasteful baskets by Carmen for about $25, muumuu and long dresses for about $45, bags for $24, handmade, all-natural soaps for $3.99 and Hawaiian-design quilts for about $50.
Co-owner Mae Matsumoto-Takata says 90 percent of the store's products are island-made, including her own ceramics (a fish-motif bowl at $28). Koa items, carved gourds, bird houses, bags, bead jewelry, Fimo lei, earrings, hair pins and other crafty items round out the inventory.
For the flavors of Native America and the Southwest, head to Native Winds. Actually co-owner Wendy Schofield-Ching throws Polynesian culture into the mix. One of her favorite artisans is Terry Kraan, a New Caledonia native who melds Hawaiian and Indian styles into his one-of-a-kind pendants ($40-$175).
The store also carries dream catchers, silver and turquoise jewelry, arrows and arrow heads, beaded and silver bracelets, rings, baby moccasins, kachinas, lithographs, note cards and CDs.
Prices run from $1 for children's activity books to $200 for fine jewelry and many items are $25 and under. Native Winds also offers craft classes, including silversmithing with Dineh artisan Andy Dann.
A mini-craft fair takes place every day in this small space. Food items, Bali-fabric dresses, muumuu, backpacks, decorative items and children's clothing run from wall to wall.
The store carries primarily locally made goods, but there are many products from the mainland and elsewhere. A sampling includes mini potholders for use in the small space of a microwave oven, reversible palaka shorts and shirts for double the wear, the popular "Kissy" children's line of clothing, Hawaiian Force T-shirt dresses from Hilo and Leighton Lam jewelry.
The top reason to shop here is the value. Manager Amber Iwamoto is proud to keep prices low and affordable. For example, dresses run from about $9 to $15 and sturdy stroller bags are just $3.50. The store also has an outlet at 1365 Nuuanu Ave. (521-6611).
This is an elaborate store for the modest Kaimuki neighborhood, but the atmosphere is friendly and loose. The offerings are more upscale than other similar shops with original paintings and vintage pieces.
Art deco glass lamps and vases ($395 to $595) made by Hartman Glass of Honolulu catch the eye, but owners Mike Dela Cruz and Wes Asari also stock less expensive things like etched glass champagne flutes for $25 and napkin rings for $1.50.
The priciest piece is a seascape painted by William Blackman for $3,900. Dela Cruz says the store's philosophy is to offer the "eclectic and unique." There are also koa lamps, frames, vintage Santas, ornaments, and water fountains.
Although this bazaar runs only during the Christmas holidays, the offerings are unique and many of them are bargains. Besides the clothing (kimonos, shirts, vests and coats), the highlights include leaf-covered boxes $11.50 from the Philippines, glass bead necklaces from Africa ($57.50), mulberry note paper from Thailand ($16.50), leather shadow puppets from Indonesia ($69.50 to $125), carved gourds from Peru ($11.50-$14.50) and a wonderfully soft Alpaca-covered stuffed bear ($35).
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