Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 13, Number 12, 1 December 1996 — Hui of retailers brings consumers Hawaiʻi-made products [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hui of retailers brings consumers Hawaiʻi-made products

Twenty loeal small businesses have teamed up to open Aloha ( Hawai'i Marketplace, a I factory or farm-to-retail j outlet store specializing 1 in Hawai'i made products. The store will i operate atWindward Mall rmtil the end of December. Loeal business- • woman Sandv Cirie is *

the mastermind behind this unique enterprise. Cirie is a former OHA loan fund recipient for | her Kailua coffee shop, Red Ram Roasters. A "We decided to form a hui," said, Cheryl

Kauhane, assistant to Cirie. "This way we share overhead costs like rent, labor, electricity, advertising and promotion."

Loeal business women Sandy Cirie (left) and Cheryl Kauhane (right) at the blessing for Aloha Hawaii Marketplace.

Kauhane is the owner of downtown eatery Broke the Mouth and also a OHA loan fund recipient. The store features apparel, jewelry and specialty food manufacturers. A special highlight of the

pling to showcase Hawai'i products including Hawaiian taro and sweet potato salad, fresh baked Moloka'i bread, Kahalu'u shortbread cookies, mini lau lau and lu'au leaf lasagna. "We have a unique business structure and we cater to loeal people.," Kauhane said. "Residents don't have to go to Waikīkī or Aloha Tower Marketplaee for specialty Hawai'i products."

Sandy Cirie stands in front of Aloha Hawaii Marketplace, a shop in Windward Mall featuring twenty loeal small businesses. store are the daily food demonstrations and sam-