The Talk of the Town

Walking Through Living History

The best way to understand Hōlualoa is to walk its main street, Māmalahoa Highway. For decades, this was the main road circling the island. The buildings that line it are living artifacts of a bygone era. Thanks to the Pūlama ʻIa Kona Heritage Preservation Council, more than 20 of these historic sites are marked with signs. They create a fascinating self-guided tour that tells the story of the village's growth.

Let's begin our stroll at the north end of town. Where Hualalai Road meets the highway. We'll meander south.

The Kimura Lauhala Shop: Where Cultures Meet

Our first stop is a place that embodies the multicultural soul of Hōlualoa: the Kimura Lauhala Shop. Established in 1914 by Yoshimatsu Kimura, a Japanese immigrant, it began as the Y. Kimura General Store. A three-story building selling necessities to the plantation community. In an era of depressed coffee prices, the family innovated. Tsuruyo Kimura, Yoshimatsu's daughter-in-law, formed a bond with local Hawaiian weavers. She learned the intricate art of lauhala (weaving the leaves of the hala, or pandanus, tree).

What began as a bartering system—trading woven goods for store credit—blossomed into a new focus. In the 1950s, the store was renamed. It became a world-famous destination for exquisite lauhala hats, baskets, and mats. A testament to the beautiful collaboration between Japanese and Hawaiian cultures. Today, the shop is still run by the Kimura family. A living legacy of craft and community.

Studio 7 Fine Arts: From Pool Hall to Gallery

Continuing south, we come to a modest building with a profound story of artistic transformation. Now home to Studio 7 Fine Arts, this structure was built in 1950 as the Morinoue Laundry & Pool Hall. The pool hall, run by Sakuichi Morinoue, was the social hub for coffee pickers in the off-season. A place filled with laughter and friendly challenges. His son, Hiroki, spent his childhood here. He drew on the craft paper his mother, Ayako, used for wrapping laundry.

Those childhood sketches were the beginning of an incredible artistic journey. In 1979, Hiroki and his wife, Setsuko, transformed his parents' business into Hawaii's first and longest-standing contemporary art gallery. A space that has nurtured generations of local artists.

The Donkey Mill Art Center: Community Spirit Reborn

Just a bit further down the road, you'll find the Donkey Mill Art Center. This historic wooden building was constructed in 1954. It was the original headquarters of the Kona Coffee Cooperative. It was the heart of the farming community. A place built on the collective resilience that defines the "Kona Way of Life." In 2002, after years of effort by community leaders like the Morinoues, the old coffee mill was reborn as a non-profit art center. It offers classes and exhibitions for all. It's a perfect symbol of Hōlualoa's identity: a foundation of coffee heritage now used to cultivate the town's creative spirit.

The Kona Hotel: A Century of Hospitality

As sugar collapsed in the 1920s, Zentaro and Hatsuyo Inaba saw an opportunity. In 1926, they opened the 11-room Kona Hotel. It catered to the traveling salesmen from companies like Love's Bakery who journeyed the island's main highway. Zentaro had spent 17 years as a cook for a prominent local family. He was renowned for his Western-style cooking, especially his beef soup. The hotel became a cornerstone of the community. A symbol of entrepreneurial grit during tough economic times. Amazingly, it is still operated by the Inaba ʻohana today. A direct link to Hōlualoa's past.

These are just a few of the stories whispered by the old storefronts. As you walk, look for the signs marking the former Kona Bottling Works (now Kona Treehouse). The old U.S. Post Office (which housed the Ukulele Gallery). The office of Dr. Saburo Hayashi, one of Kona's first resident physicians and the publisher of its first Japanese-language newspaper.