General Store: A Well-stocked Plantation Era Enterprise

By PAIGE TAKEYA

Whether it’s shave ice, kendama, checkerboards or ghost pepper hot sauces, Kailua shoppers don’t have to go far to find it. Kailua General Store at 171D Hamakua Drive has all that and more.

Owned by area resident Steven Parker, the new store seeks to evoke the all-purpose general stores of the plantation era. Stocked items include soap, bamboo fishing poles, 967tree4 tees, honey, kava, etc., with nearly everything either local or hand-made. The store also is one of the few shave ice shops in Kailua.

Still, Parker wants his business to be about more than products. The building itself is made out of recycled materials and overlooks Hamakua Marsh. Kailua General Store aims to be a friendly gathering place for residents and tourists. Checkerboards outside are free for anyone to sit down and play. Parker also shares his space with 3rd Ave Shore, a handmade art and wall decal shop.

The general store is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

Parker opened the new venture last month, following a rebranding of his former business (Lanikai Home & Style) at the same site, in order to offer a broader selection of merchandise. For more information, call 261-5681, email info@kailuageneralstore.com or visit kailuageneralstore.com.