New Store at Hotel Molokai

By Sage Yamashita, Intern Reporter

Photo by Sage Yamashita.

A new store located at Hotel Molokai, operated by local excursion business Molokai Outdoors,  offers inventory for visitors and residents alike. Along with renting cars and running tours the business is now able to promote Molokai entrepreneurs with a wide range of products in the shop, open Mondays through Saturdays at 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

“Our main business philosophy is to create jobs and opportunities for our Molokai residents so having a store next to our activity desk made the most perfect sense,” said Molokai Outdoors owner Clare Albino.  

Albino said they are working on their own product line and meanwhile, offer a variety of essentials, snacks, gifts and locally-made items. With the recognition of many musically inclined kids on Molokai, the store features Kanile’a ukuleles, said Albino. A range of Smith Optics US sunglasses and other vendors that tie in with Molokai Outdoors’ image are available, as well as merchandise like T-shirt lines, emergency need products for hotel guests, drinks, ice cream and gift items are at the store for both tourists and local customers.

“We want our store to accommodate both the visitor and our residents,” said Albino. “We welcome all Molokai vendors to come and see us and hopefully put their product in our store. Our goal is to try and keep all the products as Hawaii designed and produced.”

The kama’aina rates on everything in the store ranging from candy to higher priced items are a huge plus to Molokai residents. Discounts also apply to car rental and tour customers. 

“We do plan to sell our own line of product on line through the store,” said Albino. “We want to make the most of being in business for 23 years and start branding our own outdoor product and gear.”

The store launched in August with an unofficial opening. Albino plans to do something more official once they are more organized and ready to do the event. 

“We [Molokai Outdoors] will be celebrating our 24th year in business in Feb 2023 [and] that is probably when we will do our grand opening,” said Albino.