Iconic Imports Gift Shop Closing Down

After 47 years in business, Imports Gift Shop owner Maria Watanabe is closing the store. Photo by Léo Azambuja

By Léo Azambuja

After almost five decades serving the needs of Molokai residents and visitors, Imports Gift Shop is gearing up toward closing its doors for good. With everything on sale at 50% off — aside from consignment art — the store will fold when the inventory is gone.

“I’m closing the store, but we’ll still remain open until we sell everything,” said Maria Watanabe, who first opened Imports Gift Shop in 1979. “It’s time to slow down; I have two more stores to take care of.”

Originally from Philippines, Watanabe arrived on Molokai in 1971, and worked at her family’s business, C. Pascua Store, for eight years. When opportunity knocked on her door, she took over a 200-square-foot retail space next to St. Damien of Molokai Church to open Imports Gift Shop.

This was 47 years ago. Imports Gift Shop continued to operate on that site until 1996, when its current location, on the opposite side of Ala Malama Avenue, became available. With a much larger space — 2,500 square feet — the store expanded to include footwear and a wider variety of clothing. 

Over the years, the store became a landmark in Kaunakakai. Watanabe said she really enjoyed meeting so many people shopping at her store. She also loved going to trade shows in places like New York, Las Vegas and Philippines to acquire merchandise. 

 At some point, the store became a reference for locals to buy nice clothing. Watanabe, who is 76 years old, said her generation fancied the “expensive stuff,” so her inventory carried brands like Tommy Bahama and similar high-priced brands. She also sold clothing from famous surf brands, including Quiksilver, Hawaiian Island Creations, Roxy, O’Neal and Local Motion.

Today, the store still sells clothes, and a lot of it is aloha wear sought by visitors. It also carries a large inventory of gifts, souvenirs, jewelry, books, ceramics, music CDs, sun glasses, consignment art, wood carvings, shoes and more. A planned five-minute visit can easily become an hour or two if you are a curious person. 

A business-savvy woman, Watanabe also runs other businesses. She opened A Touch of Molokai next to the old Sheraton Resort on the Westside in 1998, on a retail space previously occupied by Liberty House. In the early 2000s, she opened an art gallery and furniture store behind Imports Gift Shop, promoting regular art and music evenings, until the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the gallery was closed for good. 

In 2019, she took over C. Pascua Store from her cousin, and throughout the pandemic, it was the only store on Molokai that was open every day.

“That’s a lot of challenges; I love the challenges,” Watanabe said.

Despite looking forward to phase out Imports Gift Shop, she says she is not retiring. She’ll keep running C. Pascua and A Touch of Molokai stores. 

Watanabe said a surge in online shopping and the COVID-19 pandemic affected Imports Gift Shop. But the main reason for closing the store, she said, really is a desire to slow down and have more free time.

When she finally made the decision to close a couple months ago, she had mixed feelings about it. “I’m sad, because this is my life,” Watanabe said. When she told her sister and her niece, who work at the store, they all cried together. 

“We want to thank the Molokai people for their support over the years, and the visitors,” she said.

There is no set date for Imports Gift Shop to close for good. But currently, almost everything is at 50% off to rush the process. Watanabe owns the building, and is open to lease offers. The store is at 82 Ala Malama Ave., right next to Friendly Market.