Maui is a shopper’s paradise with its many galleries, international stores, designer boutiques, and shopping malls, not to mention its great farmers markets and swap meets.
Many carry specialty Maui items and exclusive Hawaiian items. These include handmade bowls and objects from beautiful native forests; oil paintings and sculptures, woven hats by lau hala; hand-painted resort fashion; and one-of-a-kind jewelry, glasswork and art.
The atmosphere of creativity and discovery can be attributed to the myriad of artists, businesses, and entrepreneurs building inspirational lives on Maui. Long the queen of specialty products, Maui has spread its wings to become one of Hawaii’s top shopping destinations.
Islanders fly in from neighboring islands to hunt for treasures in Maui’s swanky boutiques and wailuku’s quirky antique shops.
Along the south and west coasts, glamorous shopping and restaurant complexes offer the latest in European fashion and Maui flair.
Shopping destinations
The Shops at Wailea is Maui’s newest and most glamorous complex, 150,000 square feet with over 60 shops and restaurants featuring a Hawaiian architectural design. High European fashion, shoes, furniture, books, maps, sundries, beachwear, art, gifts, and gourmet items – they’re right next to each other at this South Maui hotspot. With its artist and gallery receptions and live entertainment on Wednesdays, there’s so much more to shop at The Shops.
On Upcountry Maui Makawao, the only main street, Baldwin Avenue, is lined with stylish fashion boutiques, wood-floored country shops, art galleries, and unique gift shops, set in the vintage architecture of a historic cowboy town. From a Japanese toy store and a Starbucks coffee shop in adjacent Pukalani, to exquisite glassblowing demonstrations and luxury European bedding along Baldwin Avenue, Makawao is full of surprises. Makawao’s art galleries include Hui No’eau, the most prominent arts organization on the island.
In Kahului, in central Maui, most shopping needs center on the Queen Ka’ahumanu Center and the Maui Mall, about 5 minutes from the airport. Maui Mall has a 12-screen movie megaplex, as well as a multitude of stores, and the Queen Ka’ahumanu Center, the third largest in the state, offers more than 100 stores and restaurants. These centers offer home accessories, electronics, clothing, shoes, Asian imports, surf wear, books, toys, games, and numerous ethnic and island food options. Several miles away on the road to Hana, with its own laid-back character, the town of Pa’ia is a colorful throwback to the 1960s, with funky clothing stores and an arts cooperative among the many shops that greet you at the get in. the city.
Central Maui’s Wailuku is coming out of the closet as Maui’s shopping gem. This is a style of shopping to take your time and stop at all the shops, where on a leisurely stroll down Market Street, you can lose yourself in treasures of the past, as well as avant-garde art galleries and contemporary gifts. Known as “antique alleys,” the Market Street vendors offer a wide range of great finds: hot lattes and hard-to-find music, Italian shoes or locally designed clothing, vintage collectibles, and exceptional aloha clothing.
Pull out the counters and cozy restaurant along Market and Main streets with handmade pizza, Asian delicatessen, hot noodles, sushi, and locally-style lunches.
At Whalers Village in Ka’anapali, get off the beach and enjoy the shopping bonanza: Coach, Louis Vuitton, Georgiou and other designer boutiques. Aloha surf and clothing stores. High quality imports and crafts made in Hawaii. From luxurious silk sarongs to flip flops and sundries, from cameras to pearls for that special night out, you can meet all your needs in the Village. If you’re out shopping, slow down at the whale museum or one of the oceanfront restaurants.
Lahaina is a long shopping fantasy, a series of boutiques and restaurants that line the waterfront of this historic city. Lahaina shopping centers include the Lahaina Cannery Mall galleries, grocery stores and clothing stores; the Maui outlets in Lahaina, and the Old Lahaina Downtown, both a nexus of dining and entertainment and a must-see for shoppers. In the Outlets, popular national chains share space with local aloha clothing and gift emporiums and a cluster of restaurants. Front Street is packed with boutiques and galleries with something for every budget, from fine arts to trinkets, from plumeria soap to aloha shirts.
Maui Specialties
Art Galleries: Maui has a high concentration of art galleries, over 50, and an active community of artists and artisans who share their work across all mediums. Shining hand-turned woods, fiber arts, sculpture, paint, jewelry, and hand-blown glass appear in surprising places. At open-air fairs, upscale trading villages, and successful artist cooperatives in cities like Pa’ia and Makawao, Maui’s arts are the signature of an island. Hana of East Maui has one of the most culturally significant galleries in Hawaii, impeccably curated to honor the island’s finest artists.
Farmers Markets – From Kahului to Kihei, farmers markets and swap meets bring local artisans with a wide range of goods: baked goods, handmade woods, handmade jewelry, antique collectibles, and Hawaiian things , and botanicals made in Maui. who are making their mark in the field of beauty and wellness. Numerous craft fairs, many of which are supported by non-profit organizations, are a common and popular attraction for visitors and residents who can browse and purchase a wide range of crafts and tasty treats.
Food and Farm Products: Grown in fertile soils in the backcountry, Maui onions, specifically Kula onions, are popular with foodies around the world. Kula onions are the crème de la crème of Maui food products, renowned for their sweetness and coveted by smart chefs who bring them off the island alongside the bushel. Maui fries, goat cheese, gourmet preserves and vinegars, Maui-made wines, coffee, specialty sugars, and sturdy, otherworldly lavender and lavender flowers are some great take-away gifts. .
