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Hilo Hattie's Stores

takemewithyou

By takemewithyou,
in Hawaii

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takemewithyou

takemewithyou

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I just was reading (while looking for Hilo Hattie's on the Internet) that they have declared Bankruptcy due to lack of tourist dollars. Their stores remain open at this point, except for one in Oahu which is being relocated to a new shopping area.

 

I was /am looking forward to going there in December and was very sorry to hear this. :(

 

I hope they can stay in business.

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takemewithyou

takemewithyou

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Sorry to hear this news. We are leaving in just a few days to go to Hawaii, and planned on doing a tourist stop there. I hope they will still be open for the next two weeks. I'll do my part to pull them out of bankruptcy.

 

 

You do that, Zippy5150, help pull them out of bankruptcy so they will still be around for us in December. :D

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ZIPPY5150

ZIPPY5150

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You do that, Zippy5150, help pull them out of bankruptcy so they will still be around for us in December. :D

 

If we can't pull them out of bankrupcy, at least we can get some great shirts at a big discount. (I hope). :rolleyes:

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KM9X

KM9X

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We just got off the POA two weeks ago and the shuttles to HH were busy all day in all ports. I was at 3 of the HH stores and they were full. In Maui, we had a bus loaded, on the second to last trip! 60 plus, unloaded at the store, and then loaded probably 50 up to go back. One more bus came after that, noonish. Still hundreds going to HH.. Be hard to go broke at that rate, at least on Port days!

We spent $200 for the two of us and another couple spent $400 plus

dan

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brettsmom2004

brettsmom2004

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We were there last week and the stores were crowded from the cruise ships....I did however have a bad experience....

They have the Pearl Diver shop in their stores, and I so happened to pick a pearl and had it set in a gold pendant...spent $240 on it all together....

When we walked in the store, they handed us a flyer which read that you can get a free shirt up to $29.99 with a $100 purchase....well, I picked out a shirt and went to the checkout and handed them the flyer and the shirt along with my $240 receipt, I expected to get for free and they wouldn't accept it, said Pearl Divers was not a part of their store.....I told them we didn't have any idea of that, and that their flyer didn't say anything about it, just said *with $100 purchase at Hilo Hatties*.....anyways, when I looked online at my credit card company, guess what?...it was billed out from *Hilo Hatties*...what a scam, I will never shop there ever again, they reel ya in with a freebee but won't give it to ya....shame on them....:mad:

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Chrissy24

Chrissy24

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We just got off the POA two weeks ago and the shuttles to HH were busy all day in all ports. I was at 3 of the HH stores and they were full. In Maui, we had a bus loaded, on the second to last trip! 60 plus, unloaded at the store, and then loaded probably 50 up to go back. One more bus came after that, noonish. Still hundreds going to HH.. Be hard to go broke at that rate, at least on Port days!

We spent $200 for the two of us and another couple spent $400 plus

dan

 

This is probably a dumb question but oh well. You state the "shuttles to HH" were busy. Are these shuttles free and what is so great about these stores?

 

Thanks for any replies!

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Spikesgirl

Spikesgirl

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This is probably a dumb question but oh well. You state the "shuttles to HH" were busy. Are these shuttles free and what is so great about these stores?

 

Thanks for any replies!

 

You can get just about anything at HH, but the prices aren't the best. However, I've bought clothing from them 20 years ago that is still in great shape. Pick up a copy of "(insert island name) this Week" and you will probably find a coupon for a free mug or something. They also will give you a free shell lei, plus something hot or cold to drink. AND they have great restrooms (and air conditioning). There were times when we would duck into an HH for those reasons alone.

 

We've bought some really lovely things from HH over the years and I hope they'll be around for years to come.

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  • 4 weeks later...
wolfshadow

wolfshadow

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I was just at Hilo Hattie's in La Haina this past August. They presented us with a lei made of very small lightweight shells. Nice little souvenier, but I'm sure it didn't cost them much. We went there a couple of times during our trip because my mother wanted to buy her friend a nice silk lei. I thought HH prices were pretty high compared to several of the other shops in La Haina on the ocean front strip.

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agabbymama

agabbymama

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Maybe Hilo Hattie's tried to grow a little too big. The first time I went to the Islands, Oahu, it was a very small store selling mostly clothing. You wanted a muu muu that was the place to go, if they didn't have the one you wanted in your size, they would customize on the spot. They weren't cheap, but the dresses lasted for 20 years.

 

ABC stores was the place to go for all the other odds and ends souvenirs. Guess Hattie wanted to compete with ABC stores, but I don't think their prices could compare. I'm not sure ABC stores is still in business either, I'll have to check that out.

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wolfshadow

wolfshadow

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ABC stores was the place to go for all the other odds and ends souvenirs. Guess Hattie wanted to compete with ABC stores, but I don't think their prices could compare. I'm not sure ABC stores is still in business either, I'll have to check that out.

Yes, there was an ABC store at the La Haina Mall. We bought lots of souvenirs there. Very reasonable and tons of stuff!

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bondscruisegal

bondscruisegal

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I did my part in trying to keep Hilo Hattie's out of bankruptcy. I paid too much for a Hawaiian print silk shirt at Hilo Hattie's when we were in Hawaii. I still love the shirt, so it was worth the price. Maybe the only time the stores are busy is when a cruise ship is in port.

 

Off Topic - Putterdude, watch out for the Olympic Police. If you don't have permission to use the Vancouver Olympic logo, they might try to throw your butt in the 2010 Olympic Jail for misuse of their logo. lol.

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Spikesgirl

Spikesgirl

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I did my part in trying to keep Hilo Hattie's out of bankruptcy. I paid too much for a Hawaiian print silk shirt at Hilo Hattie's when we were in Hawaii. I still love the shirt, so it was worth the price. Maybe the only time the stores are busy is when a cruise ship is in port.

 

 

We started going to Hilo Hatties about 30 years ago and I'm still wearing the mu'u mu'u that I purchased on our first visit. I wear my collection, as does my husband his aloha shirts, frequently during the long hot California summers. The clothes may be expensive, but they wear well and hold up nicely. I feel they are worth the cost.

 

However, for less expensive goodies, I will go to the ABC stores for knick knacky kind of stuff. The quality isn't quite as good, but some times that's not as important.

 

Frankly, I'd hate to lose either store - someone said that it could be possible that HH was trying to compete with ABC, honestly, I think it was the introduction of Wal-Mart that will be the kiss of death for both of themeventually.

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bondscruisegal

bondscruisegal

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I agree with you Spikesgirl. My Hilo Hattie Hawaiian shirt does wear beautifully and I enjoyed wearing it this past summer. With a camisole and black capri pants it make a nice dressy casual summer outfit.

 

I also bought a shirt at Walmart and there is no comparison in the quality of the shirts. So in the end it was worth spending more for the shirt at Hilo Hatties as I will certainly get more wear out of it.

 

I hope Hilo Hatties survives the bad economy. It's a fun place to do a little island shopping.

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rbakker

rbakker

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Hilo Hattie's is about as Hawaiian as McDonald's. Is anything there even made in Hawaii any more? It's mainland-owned. And the prices! That's why one of the most popular stops for cruisers in Hilo is the Walmart - Hawaiian souvenirs for much less money. I've bought Hawaiian shirts there made in Hawaii - surely the only true Hawaiian shirt?

 

Chapter 11 doesn't always mean bankruptcy, so don'tworry, I'm sure they'll still be around.

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Putterdude

Putterdude

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Chapter 11 doesn't always mean bankruptcy, so don'tworry, I'm sure they'll still be around.

 

From everything that I have read I think this company was bought by the investors specifically to put it in Chapter 11 and then reorganize...probably a great business play.

 

 

Off Topic - Putterdude, watch out for the Olympic Police. If you don't have permission to use the Vancouver Olympic logo, they might try to throw your butt in the 2010 Olympic Jail for misuse of their logo. lol.

 

Worse still they may make me come home from AZ and attend some of the events. Love the idea of the Winter Olympics and all it is doing for Vancouver but frankly I will enjoy them more here in AZ watching them on TV on our patio in shorts and a polo shirt after a round of golf.:D

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