Where to buy Hawaiian jewelry on Kauaʻi

On Kauaʻi, Hawaiian jewelry is sold mainly in Līhuʻe, old Kapaʻa town, Hanapēpē on the west side, Kōloa and Poʻipū on the south shore, and Hanalei on the north shore. Kauaʻi is the closest island to Niʻihau and the place where Niʻihau shell lei are most often sold, especially on the west side, so it is the island to buy one if you know how to check it. For gold heirloom jewelry, the choice is smaller than on Oʻahu or Maui: our directory lists a Līhuʻe family jewelry store and two companies with stores on several islands.

How shopping for jewelry on Kauaʻi differs

Kauaʻi is smaller and quieter than Oʻahu or Maui, and its shopping is in small towns linked by one main coastal highway. What sets it apart is Niʻihau shell. Niʻihau lies off Kauaʻi’s west coast, and travel writers report that most Niʻihau shell jewelry is sold on Kauaʻi, with some west side shops stocking pieces made by the owner’s relatives on Niʻihau. The Niʻihau Heritage website keeps a list of retailers it describes as having a history of dealing with Niʻihau families.

Two companies in our directory have stores on several islands, Kauaʻi among them, and appear in the table below on every island page.

Where to shop on Kauaʻi

Līhuʻe

Līhuʻe has Kukui Grove Center, the island’s largest mall, and the Shops at Kilohana, a handful of boutiques in a 1930s plantation mansion selling local art, jewelry, clothing and vintage Hawaiiana. Robert’s Jewelry, part of a family business that says it has served Kauaʻi since the 1940s, offers customized Hawaiian heirloom jewelry, wedding bands, Tahitian pearls, koa wood jewelry and Niʻihau shell necklaces. Its hours have varied across its own pages, so check before you go.

Kapaʻa and the east side

Old Kapaʻa town has boutiques, galleries and jewelry stores along the highway, and Coconut Marketplace, just south, adds gift shops. The Kapaʻa Art Walk has been held on the first Saturday evening of each month, with shops open late and sidewalk vendors.

Hanapēpē

Hanapēpē is a small west side town of galleries, studios and shops. Its Friday art night, started in 1997 by local gallery and shop owners, has galleries and stores open late with music and food. It paused during the pandemic and later returned. Sources disagree on the exact hours, so check before you go.

JJ Ohana in Hanapēpē has sold Niʻihau shell lei made from shells brought to Kauaʻi by Niʻihau residents, and appears on the Niʻihau Heritage retailer list. Its website looks several years old, so confirm it is operating before you make the trip.

Kōloa and Poʻipū

Old Kōloa Town has plantation-era buildings with small shops and galleries. Closer to the resorts, the Shops at Kukuiʻula is an open-air center with upscale boutiques and galleries, and Poʻipū Shopping Village has boutiques and galleries. Resort stores carry both local and imported work; ask about each piece.

Hanalei

Hanalei’s shops are in two small centers on either side of the highway: Ching Young Village and Hanalei Center. Jewel of Paradise, a family-owned fine jewelry store in Hanalei Center, carries work by Hawaiʻi designers, pearl jewelry, koa wood rings and Kauaʻi outline pendants. The one-lane bridges and road to Hanalei can close in heavy rain, so allow for delays.

Buying Niʻihau shell lei on Kauaʻi

Niʻihau shell lei are protected by Hawaiʻi law. Act 91 of 2004 says an item may be sold using the name “Niʻihau” only if all its shells are from Niʻihau and it was made entirely in Hawaiʻi. An item with at least 80 percent Niʻihau shells, by count, may be labeled as containing that percentage.

Before you buy, ask:

• Are all the shells from Niʻihau? If not, what percentage?
• Which shells are they, and who made the lei?
• Can you put that on the receipt?

Prices vary widely with shell type, size, color, length and the work in the pattern. Our Niʻihau shell jewelry guide explains the shell types, grades and how to check a lei.

Made on Kauaʻi or imported: how to tell

For gold and silver jewelry, the same questions apply as on any island. Hawaiʻi law (HRS §486-119) allows a “made in Hawaii” label only where at least 51 percent of the wholesale value was added in the state. Ask where a piece was made and engraved, whether the engraving is by hand, and the karat and weight. Our guides to made-in-Hawaiʻi jewelry and koa wood jewelry cover the details, and our price guide explains what drives the price of gold pieces.

Before you go

• Plan around distance. Hanalei and Hanapēpē are at opposite ends of the road; few visitors do both in a day.
• Check opening days. Several smaller shops keep limited hours.
• Get Niʻihau details in writing. Shell origin, percentage and maker on the receipt.
• Order engraving early. Ask for a promised date and whether the shop will ship. See our guide to engraving before your flight.