Oahu, Hawaii

mattBmattB (FTB) Anywhere 673 Posts
edited August 2007 in Strut Central
Any Strutters in Hawaii?I'll be taking a short trip to Oahu at the end of September (26th to the 30th).Can anyone clue me in on record stores? Ive found a few stores online, but Im not sure how up to date they are (eg: Jelly's, Hungry Ear etc).Is it worth me lugging over over a bag of Japanese and few Australian trades (funk/soul/psych/folk/ssw/etc)? I guess there is a good amount of Japanese records in Hawaii already...Any advice much appreciated.

  Comments


  • shitzrshitzr 648 Posts
    from a few months ago

    those stores are still around, but i gotta tell ya it's VERY slim pickings. too bad detroit soul connection isn't there anymore because that was a spot worth going to.

    honestly if you're only there for 4 days, you really shouldn't waste it looking for records anyway.

    there are no records in hawaii.

  • hey doctafunk,

    the only decent store for trades (detroit soul) closed a couple of years ago. The rest of the stores have pros and cons. Jelly's has a lot of stock and if you go on the right day you can strike gold. In my opinion it's pretty ran through though, and I haven't found anything remarkable in over a year. Hungry Ear is also pretty tapped out, but like any store it's probably worth it to stop in and check things out. 2 Gruvz is shady as f*ck but he bought a nice collection with some pieces you might find desirable. He prices against e-bay and gemm while you are still in the store though..so be warned. Across the street is my favorite store...Stylus. Stock isn't incredibly rare (though sometimes he has some great stuff...esp rock) but it's decent, and decently priced. He is the most down to earth of the record store owners too. There is an increasing amount of competition for records so I wouldn't expect amazing finds...it's just a matter of being in the right place at the right time.

    PM me or other Hawaiian strutters about possible trades and restaurant/sites suggestions if you want

  • mattBmattB (FTB) Anywhere 673 Posts
    Thanks for the link. I did a search but it didnt pick up that link for some reason.

    honestly if you're only there for 4 days, you really shouldn't waste it looking for records anyway.
    yeah, dont get me wrong. The majority of my time is going to be spent chilling on the beach. Just thought there might be an opportunity for some trades or to pick up some Hawaiian stuff.

    So you're saying there wont be places with stockpiles of lemuria for a buck a pop???

  • mattBmattB (FTB) Anywhere 673 Posts
    anasarcasm, great info. Thanks very much.

  • shitzrshitzr 648 Posts
    So you're saying there wont be places with stockpiles of lemuria for a buck a pop???

    not anymore

    there's a few locals on this board. anasarcasm is fam. brian can help you get familiar with the titty bars.

    i just wanna say that longhi's in ala moana shopping center has by far one of my favorite happy hours ever.

    stay away from kalihi.

  • mattBmattB (FTB) Anywhere 673 Posts
    ah, Ala Moana Mall. The girlfriend seriously wants to check that out so we'll have to hit up Longhi's too.

    On that note, how's the nightlife? Pubs, Clubs, Live Music etc.
    I guess there's probably a local rag that would tell me what's happening on a Friday and Saturday night?

  • shitzrshitzr 648 Posts
    i'll leave the nightlife to the other strutters.

    been for a minute.

    all my favorite spots no longer exist, i'm too old now, and prefer the the drunken comfort of friends and family in our carports with 4 12packs of heini talking about the younger years.

    however if you see that this band is actually playing live, go see them:



    they sing traditional hawaiian songs, but with sweet soul harmonies. really dope blend. that particular album is my absolute favorite local releases in the last 5 years.

  • mattBmattB (FTB) Anywhere 673 Posts
    sweet. thanks shitzr.

  • GropeGrope 2,970 Posts
    hey doctafunk,

    Jelly's has a lot of stock and if you go on the right day you can strike gold. In my opinion it's pretty ran through though, and I haven't found anything remarkable in over a year.



    darn, i should have known about records when i was there
    but i've been to Jelly's. nice place.

    instead of digging for records, i wasted my time doing other things. going to beaches, girls, surfing, going to school, giving a lecture about exchange student programs at the university (a girl came up to me and said that i was hot - and she was at least 3 years older than me), sports, hanging out, coffee shops, skatboarding, snakeboarding, more girls, tennis state finals on Maui, big islands, vulcanos, Robby Naish, windsurfing, concerts, radio free hawaii, my host family, baby sitting, driving a car without a license, hey wait.... THOSE WERE THE DAYS OF MY LIFE
    and i didn't even drink any alcohol back then.

    I MISS HONOLULU!!!

  • BrianBrian 7,618 Posts
    100% cosign on anasarcasm's post aka don't look for records just go to the beach and all that shit

  • johmbolayajohmbolaya 4,472 Posts
    stay away from kalihi.

    I want to say r.i.p. to Kenny's.


    To my fellow kama'aina, sing along:
    Kenny's
    At the Kam Shopping Center in Kalihi[/b]


  • Damn Kenny's closed! Shows how often I'm down there. You can still go down the street for excellent authentic Hawaiian food at Helena's. It's a hole in the wall place that won a James Beard award. The poi is average, I prefer the red Kaua'i taro variety, but everything else is top notch. Try the butterfish collar or ribs.
    There is also Mitsu-Ken on the same street if you want artery clogging, fat/cheap plates of local goodness like garlic chicken. If you need veg/vegan or lighter options let me know.

    Nightlife is alright out here but nothing to write home about. Pick up a Honolulu Weekly when you get in and see for yourself. As everyone else has said, to experience Hawaii in all it's glory forget the records and head to the beach. I would highly, highly recommend getting out of Waikiki/Honolulu and coming out to the Windward side of the island. Lanikai/Kailua beaches are amazing, relatively secluded, and safe, plus the small town has lots of good food. Drive to North Shore early and stop at Romy's or Giovanni's for plates of fresh garlic shrimp.

    Grope, I love your story! Did you intern at Radio Free?

    PS-John the Kenny's jingle brought back memories!! I used to love those slushy things they had


  • PS-John the Kenny's jingle brought back memories!! I used to love those slushy things they had

    I just remember going to Kenny's when my dad had to go to Kalihi (to fix car and sell whatever green leafy things he had in the baggies, wrapped in a paper bag of course), and the Kenny's Restaurant (the one in the same shopping center, but it had orange lettering) was considered too "high mucky muck".

    I think it closed five years ago, and the article in the Star-Bulletin said they had all the regulars up until closing and no one wanted to leave.

    Apparently, the Kenny's Restaurant I talked about is still open. I might be high mucky muck and visit.

  • Kenny's
    At the Kam Shopping Center in Kalihi[/b]
    "and kaneoheeee!"

    r.i.p. kenny's, all hail the mighty mak-kudo narudo

    the slushee shakes was da besses, and the teri fries.

    helena's is still as is elena's with that ill sinigang.

    that said, stay away from kalihi.

  • Kenny's
    At the Kam Shopping Center in Kalihi[/b]
    "and kaneoheeee!"


    r.i.p. kenny's, all hail the mighty mak-kudo narudo

    Boo on the Makudonarudo. Even though I had dinner a few hours ago, I could go for some W&M right now.


  • "and kaneoheeee!"[/b]

    Mokulele drive represent! Is mango man still around? He was legendary when I was in intermediate school. Don't forget to get some li hing mui on your trip. Boy do i miss it there.

  • he used to live behind our elementary school (heeia) in kaneohe and then he disappeared. years later and to this day i routinely see him cruising next to down to earth in kailua!

    strong li hing mui margaritas are addictive. the mexican restaurant across from pali lanes serves a good one.


    "and kaneoheeee!"[/b]

    Mokulele drive represent! Is mango man still around? He was legendary when I was in intermediate school. Don't forget to get some li hing mui on your trip. Boy do i miss it there.

  • BrianBrian 7,618 Posts
    i am so from the kaneohe talk. mo'ili'ili stand up!

  • I still want to know if the "sweet bread boy" has grown up to be "Sweet Bread Man", or if he has his kids doing it now, OR did he move/pass on? I don't know. But it was great to know that every few weeks, a guy would come down our lane with a big box of sweet bread and sell one to us.

    Man, sweet bread French toast sounds nice right now. Eh.

    NO SLEEP TIL PAUOA[/b]
Sign In or Register to comment.