Mana Up Gives 30 Really Good Reasons to Support Local Hawai‘i Companies
Shop big mana’s house online.
Walking into The House of Mana Up feels like getting a big group hug from all your favorite local artisans. Chocolates from Mānoa Chocolate, artwork from Kailua native Kristin Hook, Meli Wrap’s reusable covers and utensil sets, hot-selling brews from Big Island Coffee Roasters, Bradley and Lily stationery: The hui’s all here.
Thirty small companies, graduates of Mana Up’s 2018 and 2019 accelerator programs, found a home at Royal Hawaiian Center. Each collection is accompanied by a written narrative introducing the talent behind the products and fun details about the goods, forging an instant connection to the brand.
We learned Hawaiian Pie Co. makes (damn ‘ono!) Chex Mix and the company includes three generations of local bakers—sweet! And, longtime closed Niu Valley eatery Swiss Inn owners brought back its dressing after nearly 20 years. Ever had liquid gold? You can now. Hanalei beauty essentials are the result of a husband-and-wife team adding natural ingredients—aloe, papaya, raw cane sugar and Hawaiian kukui nut oil—to boost their skincare products.
There are plans to offer future program graduates the same opportunity and exposure. And, as the shop grows, so will Mana Up’s reach. More tourists will learn about our amazing local entrepreneurs, enticing them to shop the collections and spread the word. For us residents, it’s just another way to get to know, support and love our community. In other words, be local.
Our top 5 picks from the shop
Big Island brand Western Aloha brings unique pops of paniolo culture to its standout aloha shirts.
Hut short-sleeve aloha shirt, $120.
Soft as a baby’s bottom, Coco Moon’s onesies and swaddle blankets are perfect for precious newborns. Its new shave-ice pattern is definitely for the cool kids.
Onesie, $22.
A team of intense moisturizers including kukui oil, agave oil, grapeseed oil and shea butter found in each Hanalei lip treatment have garnered many five-star reviews.
Lip treatments in dragon fruit and sand, $20 each.
Forget pie: Hawaiian Pie Co.’s yuzu Chex Mix boasts big buttery flavor zhooshed up with sugar and yuzu. Best part? No fork required. Hawaiian Pie Co.
Yuzu Chex Mix, $5.
We love slippahs. But sometimes we need them to have some personality—especially when they replace our heels midday. HAYN’s fresh colors and fun new prints charm the shoes off us. Literally.
HAYN slippers, $34 each.
Royal Hawaiian Center, houseofmanaup.com
Read more stories by Stacey Makiya
