6 Old-Timey General Stores In Hawaii

From plantation days to post-war booms, these six old-timey general stores in Hawaii have always been more than places to pick up milk and matches. Unlike their mainland counterparts, Hawaii’s general stores sprang up in the shadows of sugar mills and pineapple canneries, often run by Japanese immigrant families who stayed on after the war. These modest shops once supplied entire plantation towns with everyday goods. Today, whether they’re dishing up traditional Hawaiian fare, pouring cappuccinos, or scooping shave ice topped with mochi, many of these storied landmarks reflect Hawaii’s deep ties with Japan, China, the Philippines, and other parts of Asia in the post-war era.

Hasegawa General Store, Hana

The Hasegawa General Store in the remote village of Hana is thought to be the oldest general store in Hawaii. Founded by brothers Shoichi and Saburo Hasegawa in 1910, the store is now run by the fourth generation of the family. A disastrous fire closed the store in 1990, destroying the much-loved general store and damaging the adjacent Hana Gas Station. Undeterred, the family renovated the old Hana theater and turned it into the current retail space. The store supplies both the residents of Hana and visiting tourists to the island of Maui with everything from engine oil and coffee to kombucha, wine, slippers, and screwdrivers.

In a gesture of giving back to the Hana community who have supported the family for over a century, the current manager of the Hasegawa General Store, family member Neil Hasegawa, has opened an outdoor food court to help fledgling food truck owners get their businesses off the ground. Finally, the Hasegawa General Store has been immortalized in song by the composer known as the “father of mood music,” Paul Weston, in a happy tune called “The Hasegawa General Store.” The song gained widespread popularity when celebrated Hawaiian steel guitar virtuoso Pua Almedia sang it on “Hawaii Calls,” a legendary Hawaiian radio show that broadcast Hawaiian music to the world from Waikiki Beach in Honolulu from 1935 to 1975, accompanied by the sound of ocean waves in the background.

Ching Young Store, Hanalei

Established in the early 1900s, Ching Young Village began as a family-owned general store operated by Ching Young, a Chinese immigrant who arrived on Kauai at the turn of the century. Along with his brother, he leased a plot of land to start a general store and rice mill. In 1911, he named the business the Ching Young Store and Ching Young Rice Mill. After Ching Young’s death, his son Lawrence bought the store, renovated it, and added the Hanalei Post Office. By the 1970s and early 1980s, he started the shopping center.

Today, Ching Young Village is a small, charming shopping village, but the legacy of the original store lives on in the town's economy and architecture. It offers a mix of boutiques, restaurants, galleries, and surf shops, including Pedal N Paddle, a rental shop, Nā Pali Catamaran, an outfitter that offers tours of Kauai’s famous coastline, and the big brand store, Billabong. Run by the third-generation Hanalei resident and grandson of Ching Young, Michael Ching recalls the general merchandise store sold produce, canned goods, fishing and plumbing supplies, and a little of everything.

Matsumoto General Store, Hale‘iwa

Since 1951, the M. Masumoto General Store has been a popular destination in Haleʻiwa, situated on the renowned North Shore of Oahu. The little family-owned shop sold crackers, ceramic dishes, gas, razors, and anything else you might need for daily life. It wasn’t until 1956 that business at the general store kicked into high gear, thanks to a little hand-cranked shave ice machine that owners Mamoru and Helen Matsumoto brought from Japan. Dating back to at least the 9th century, shave ice is an ancient Japanese treat. However, it was the first shave ice machine introduced on the island of Oahu.

Using locally sourced cane sugar, famous on the nearby islands of Maui and Kaua‘i, the Matsumotos created dozens of tropical flavors. They experimented by adding ice cream to the bottom of the bowl, sweet azuki beans, condensed milk, and even mochi. By the time Stan Matsumoto, the owners’ son, took over the business in 1976, shave ice was all they sold. Over the years, they’ve added t-shirts, souvenirs, and other merch, but Matsumoto's General Store is famous all over the world for its shave ice.

Kalapawai Market, Kailua

Kalapawai Market, located near the entrance to the epic beach oasis known as Kailua Beach Park, first opened its doors in 1932 and quickly became a neighborhood hub, reminiscent of the role old-timey general stores played in small towns across the United States. In 1992, Don Dymond bought the original Kalapawai Market.

Today, the family business is now owned and operated by Lindsey Dymond, Don’s son, who inherited the store after his father died in 2014. The old plantation-style store was gutted, repainted in its signature emerald green color, and stocked with items like beer and wine, local snacks, and beach gear. A coffee and smoothie bar, along with a full-service deli, is located within the historic store, providing everything you need for an alfresco picnic under the Hawaiian sun. In addition to the original location near the beach in Kailua, other Kalapawai Markets have opened in towns such as Kapolei and Waimanalo.

Honolua Store, Kapalua

The Honolua Store has been a landmark in the heart of Kapalua Resort on Maui’s northwest coast since 1929. Established in 1929 during the pineapple plantation era, it was a vital community hub, catering to the needs of plantation workers. Over the years, the store has evolved into a beloved general store, coffee shop, deli, and restaurant, renowned for its traditional Hawaiian-style plate lunches, including Loco Moco, Kalua Pork, and its signature Honolua Burger, as well as daily specials. The in-store Island Gourmet Coffee Bar is a great place to start your day exploring Maui with a cup of 100% Pure Kona coffee grown on the slopes of the Mauna Loa volcano.

Ma’alaea General Store, Ma’alaea

The historic Ma’alaea General Store was built in 1910 and operated by three Japanese families until a series of mom-and-pop owners took over the day-to-day operations. The store initially catered to camp workers at the Wailuku Sugar Company, one of Maui’s earliest and most influential sugar plantations. In its heyday, Wailuku Sugar employed thousands of immigrant laborers from Asia, Portugal, the Philippines, and more, creating vibrant multicultural plantation communities in Wailuku. Its other clientele included a fleet of Japanese fishermen based in Ma’alaea Harbor.

The store underwent significant renovation and restoration between 2005 and 2011, earning the property a place on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the store is popular with both locals and tourists, with popular attractions like the nearby Ebisoku Jinsha Shrine, a traditional fishing shrine at Ma’alaea Harbor, and the 3-acre Maui Ocean Center, the largest living tropical aquarium in the Western Hemisphere. One of Maui’s oldest businesses, the Ma’alaea General Store features a deli, café, full-service bar, restaurant, retail bottle shop for liquor to go, grocery items, sundries, boat supplies, and Ma’alaea-branded souvenirs, including beer koozies, coffee mugs, trucker hats, and totes.

Sugar, shave ice, and souvenirs—Hawaii’s old-timey general stores are serving up way more than nostalgia. Born in the heyday of plantations and kept alive by post-war families, primarily immigrants from Japan, these historic hangouts once stocked work boots, fishing gear, and Spam, but now serve up poke bowls, lattes, and local gossip. From Maui to Oahu, these six vintage shops are living time capsules with modern-day flavor.