Mari’s Gardens Opens in Kailua

 

Editor’s Note: This story was first published on Sept. 1, 2023, to preview the opening of Mari’s Gardens in Kailua. It was then updated as part of our November issue.

 

 

The September opening of Mari’s Gardens in Kailua burst forth with stunning plants, whimsical and practical pots and items that spark green joy. And it’s a welcome Windward O‘ahu expansion of a family-run business dedicated to growing local.

 

“We want to make it really easy to just get plants to people,” Mari Lau says. “I’m just trying to create someone’s happy place. A lot of people tell me all the time that taking care of their plants and getting more plants really helped them through challenging times.”

 

At 26, she’s in the demographic that embraced their inner gardener during the pandemic and has kept houseplant sales steadily high. With her peers focused on careers, traveling and self care, she says, many aren’t yet ready for pets or babies. “Plants feel like a step in the right direction that won’t drastically change our lives, homes or budgets.”

 

The new shop caters to both the needs that Ko‘olau Farmers handled at the same spot—fruit trees, Native Hawaiian plants and flowers—along with twists: a fresh layout, cute pots, produce, more exotic plants, specialty nooks with all you need to design a succulent garden as well as more gifts, books, cards and garden tools, many either local or hard to find.

 

 

Family of Growers

That combination of practical and playful comes from the Lau family, whom you might know from Fred Lau’s long career as a landscaper. Maybe you’ve purchased citrus trees or orchids from the 18-acre nursery in Mililani that the family’s owned since 2008. Or you might have discovered Mari’s Urban Garden in Kaka‘ako, where you found a polka-dot begonia in the cutest pot you own for your apartment. That store has been the brainchild of Mari Lau, Fred’s daughter, who weaves her own aesthetic into the business.

 

 

And, yes, Fred Lau named the business after his daughter when she was only 10 years old. He’s clearly delighted that she’s contributed her own inspiration and expertise to the growing business. “I call it farm-y chic,” he says with a broad smile, when we meet in Mililani when the Kailua store was taking shape.

 

To get to our meeting in Mililani, I walk past a much-photographed giant cat statue tucked in its own house. Fred shakes his head with another grin: “Who is crazy enough to build a house for a cat?”

 

 

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Design Inspired by Travel

His daughter explains some of the back story. “I went to college in San Francisco, and that’s where I get a lot of my inspiration for our garden shops,” Mari says. She also traveled to New York and Japan and picked up more ideas along her journey. In the stores, that translates to cow-themed pots, containers of just about every shape, color and texture. And there are beginner-friendly groupings of products—including a terrarium bar—to help even the most timid of gardeners find a plant that works for their place.

 

 

Back at Kailua, long wooden tables, built by Fred Lau, line the main store, ready for future plant workshops. Both Mari and Fred Lau confess their favorites plants change by the week with so many worthy choices surrounding them.

 

Edible Flowers and More

Brother Brendon, 36, had already found his passion was in growing the local produce side of the business, which continues to thrive. And that shows up at the new Kailua store in a large selection of lettuce, corn and edible flowers.

 

 

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The Laus also continue to expand the website so people can browse through plants, produce and other items online before they schedule a visit. “So if we don’t have it available at a specific location that you want it to pick it up at, we can always transfer it from one of our other locations to that location,” Fred Lau explains. And to help with that, his other son, Tyler, 33, specializes in business administration.

 

When Windward residents learned that the Ko‘olau Farmers location was for sale, many worried the property would be swooped up by a national chain, leaving no shop dedicated to plants in the neighborhood. Happily, another deeply rooted local company took over.

 

 

For the Laus, growing local continues to be their mission. Whether they’re helping veteran gardeners find the right potting soil or Native Hawaiian ground cover or “encouraging younger generations to grow their own food and know where their food is coming from,” Mari Lau explains.

 

She says the Kailua store will keep finding its groove in the Windward neighborhood. There’s already a large Buddha statue greeting customers. We’ll be watching to see what’s next.

 

Mari’s Gardens Kailua, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, 1127 Kailua Road, Kailua, (808) 691-9191, marigardens.com, @maris_gardens

 

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More Places for Floraphiles

 

Ko‘olau Farmers

Started in 1938 as a farmer-focused cooperative, Ko‘olau Farmers evolved into a go-to local garden business, packed with orchids, herbs, veggies, houseplants, flowers and trees. When the Kailua property was sold, Ko‘olau Farmers chose to downsize to two locations: a large Kāne‘ohe store that includes a florist and a smaller McCully shop. The OG is still going strong.

 

Multiple locations, koolaufarmers.com, @koolaufarmers

 

Plantoem

This Kaimukī shop welcomes you into a chic jungle haven of intriguing houseplants. Admire hybrid anthurium, dreamy Calathea orbifolia and trailing succulents dripping from above as you enter this second-floor hideaway. Then turn the corner to find a small café serving espresso, honey matcha latte and pastries. Plantoem also hosts community events at its urban oasis, which opened in 2021.

 

3457 Wai‘alae Ave., Unit 203, (808) 807-7826, plantoem.com, @plantoem