Here’s How Three Hawai‘i Neighborhoods Take Pride in Their Community

Neighborhood-pride movements are trending. Here are three.

January 25, 2019

Rachel Ross Bradley,

Rrepresenting the Keep It Kaimukī movement

Local fashion bloggers Gabrielle Pangilinan, Kanako Lorenzana and Kaci Takara representing the Keep It Kaimukī movement.

Photo: Genki Media / @genki_media

There’s something special about your neighborhood, isn’t there? No matter where on O‘ahu you live, you’re likely nodding and thinking of your local coffee shop and the owner you’ve known for 20 years, or the small businesses where you stop at on the way to a party for a bottle of wine and a card.

Around O‘ahu, neighborhood pride movements are popping up. And while some emerge naturally, others are dreamed up by a developer’s savvy marketing team or a cooperative effort of smart young entrepreneurs. Either way, it’s our love for our neighborhoods that makes them stick. The names are catchy and the websites are useful for everyone from neighborhood lifers to newcomers, too. Here are three:

Keep It Kaimukī

This movement doesn’t just create cute tote bags and stickers that you can pick up while getting fresh bread at Breadshop—the group of small-business owners behind Keep It Kaimukī host a website at keepitkaimuki.com that features everything from events to interviews with small-business owners in Kaimukī. If you love the neighborhood’s mix of old and new creative amenities like we do, follow @keepitkaimuki on Instagram for regular updates on events and activities, as well as neighborhood photos and stories.

Our Kaka‘ako

Our Kaka‘ako was one of the first neighborhood movements (and hashtags) to pop up. Nine city blocks of Kaka‘ako, owned by Kamehameha Schools, have become a creative and cultural hub, as well as a place for artists, chefs, influencers and entrepreneurs to make their dreams reality. Not even a decade ago it was a place you mostly just went to get your car fixed. Now it’s a neighborhood full of shops, dining and art, teeming with active residents. With more than 29,000 Instagram posts tagged #ourkakaako, it’s safe to say residents have a sense of community pride. The website, at ourkakaako.com, is a source of art, event and dining information.

Midtown Ala Moana

Lately we’re starting to see #midtownalamoana show up as a hashtag on social media, with a website at midtownalamoana.com. As residents move to the area from Kapi‘olani Boulevard to King Street, more people are starting to make the place once most-known for shopping their home. One Ala Moana is a well-established luxury residence in the neighborhood, and future residents are reserving homes at new buildings such as Azure Ala Moana. We hope the neighborhood maintains its diversity; Azure Ala Moana is offering something for everyone with commercial, rental and condominium options. An updated name for an updated neighborhood—seems fitting.