Does this image look familiar?
Looking through family photos this week, I came upon this classic. Remember it?
Mom and Dad are so young in those black and white photos, and Waikiki was so very…different!
Looking around Kakaako today, and looking at the model of what may come, I wonder how we will look back on this moment. (Incidentally, if you haven’t seen the model at the IBM building, don’t miss it. It’s unreal.)
We’ve been at Ward Warehouse serving local customers and visitors from around the world for 24 years- and if you add in the time I spent at the Artist Guild, our predecessor at this location, and Following Sea, it’s 34 years. 34 years focused just on local art and handmade fine crafts. (I remind Mom sometimes that this was just supposed to be a summer job. It was!) And today, we’re watching the new towers come up around us in Kaka’ako.
Ward Warehouse is a considerate shopping mall, if you’ll allow me the phrase. Though it’s modest, it’s generous with amenities you might miss at first glance. You can pull right in to a space that’s usually shaded, sheltered from rain, and not more than a minute or two from whatever local shop or boutique you seek. That convenience is something customers mention as one of the reasons they love Ward Warehouse.
The shops that thrive here develop their own niches, offering something special in their own way. Cookie cutter just doesn’t make it here. (Even the cookie guys are pretty good, though if you’ve got a sweet tooth, don’t miss Honolulu Chocolates at Ward Center. )
Anyway, to finally get around to my point…people ask us every day where we will go if and when the anticipated development goes from planning to execution phase. We’ll be here. We’ll be someplace that is convenient for local customers, our loyal base since 1990, for whom we are so very grateful. I don’t know exactly where, but we’ll be someplace great.
BUT NOT YET!
We’re very much here for the next several years, with all the painters, jewelers, woodworkers, ceramists, and others who give so much beauty, quality and value. Who knows, maybe we’ll be here even longer than that. But whenever the development happens, we’ll be somewhere, and would love to know where you’d like to find us.
Before we get too caught up in the holiday season, I’d love to know…where do you like to shop? What part of town is convenient for you?
ps- just a little sample of the range of handmade in Hawaii beauties here for you this season, our koa letter openers at $16.50 are always popular.
We’re excited about our new line of koa and milo rocking chairs too. They are extremely comfortable and so very beautiful!
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