Wailea Village’s Locally-Owned Boutiques and Restaurants are a Fresh Welcome in Wailea

When we think of Wailea, tourists, luxury resorts, brand-name, and franchised shops quickly come to mind. You may not know that amidst all of the glitz and glamour of Mauiʻs most affluent neighborhood is Wailea Village, a new center filled with locally-owned boutiques, cafe and restaurants working hard to bring made-in-Hawaiʻi goods and culture to the area.

Sabado Gallery and Boutique is a perfect example. Philip Sabado is considered one of Maui’s living treasures. Born and raised in Molokaʻi, Sabado is loved by the community for painting historically accurate art that depicts his love for Hawaiʻiʻs nature, people, history and mythology. Sabado does most of his painting in his Wailuku studio with his son, Erin managing the Gallery. Together, their goal in opening the Gallery in Wailea is to generate understanding, induce reflection and inspire visitors to embrace and advocate Hawaiʻi culture and traditions.

In addition to the Gallery, the Sabados also lead and coordinate the Tuesday morning Farmersʻ Market and the monthly Sunset Market, which occurs every first Thursday of each month. Both gatherings bring together local culinary artists, merchants, and farmers at Wailea Village’s courtyard and open spaces offering locally-made clothes and skincare products, Maui-grown vegetables, fruits and flora, baked goods, beverages, ready-to-eat food, and many other culinary treats.

Stop by Paper Garden and you will most likely run into the shop owner herself, Pam Zemrus. Her shop features a lovingly curated collection of greeting cards, stationery, gifts, party goods, specialty wrap and ribbons, and provides custom printing and gift-wrapping services. Pamela also offers creative workshops such as lei poʻo or haku lei, candle making, handmade soap, macrame, watercolor painting and handmade flower papers. Pam either leads the workshop or brings in local artisans to teach and share their craft. The creative workshops have created quite a local following and often sell out in advance.

HUE Home + Design is also a great place to discover unique gifts for ʻohana, friends and yourself. Owned by interior designers Jessica McClellan and Wendy Takemoto, the two friends opened the Islandʻs premier home and lifestyle showroom in 2012 in Kahului and have now expanded to a shop in Wailea Village – offering luxury home furnishings, distinctive finds gift items and an extensive textile studio. HUE also just acquired Duck Soup, increasing its inventory of custom furnishings and accessories and access to award-winning designers.

For your precious tweens and keiki, stop by Droplets. Owner Beate Sykes created this children’s shop to be whimsical, fun and casual with plenty of clothes, gifts and souvenirs made in Hawaiʻi. Droplets. offers plenty of plushies, swaddles, sleepwear, tops and bottoms, beachwear, accessories, hats, shoes, toys, games, books and art supplies.

If you love sand, sun and surf, Bikini Market has a great kamaʻaina and visitor following. Owner Mariah Cortez brings local and mainstream designers such as Acacia, Aloha, Seafolly, Mai, Carve and Maaji to the community. She curates a fresh feel to swim, offering swimwear, clothing, accessories, and gifts.

For sun protection, Aloha Hat Company, which recently moved from the Shops of Wailea to Wailea Village, features the widest variety of all hat styles and sizes you will see on the islands. Everything from baseball caps to Fedoras, Panama Hats, ladies’ sun hats, golf hats, visors, fishing hats, bucket hats, and luxury designer hats. Owner Brana Gavrilovich is proud to offer “Local Design Hawai’i” brand, known for creating 100% handmade Hawai’i “bucket hats” featuring the Islands’ nature, culture and lifestyle. The shop is also an exclusive retailer of Birkenstocks for the area, offering core styles, limited-edition colors, the Birkenstock Premium line, and the hard-to-find EVA water-friendly foam Birkenstocks for water wear.

Founded in Maui more than 30 years ago by Robert Wintner, Snorkel Bob’s is a great business to support those looking to rent gear for ocean and pool activities. Snorkel Bob’s offers daily and weekly rentals of snorkels, fins, wetsuits, beach chairs, floatation vests and belts, and boogies. The company is active in Hawaiʻi’s conservation community, working diligently to protect Hawaiʻi’s reefs.

For those who prefer the green, stop by the Blue Course Pro Shop before your tee time! The Pro Shop offers excellent rates on rental clubs, shoes, and merchandise featuring the original Wailea Resort sun and sea logo.

Shopping often works up an appetite, so stop by either Akamai Coffee or Manoli’s Pizza Company to satiate your cravings.

Maui’s beloved Akamai Coffee, which we all remember started its humble beginnings as a drive-thru at the Home Depot parking lot, opened its third location at Wailea Village. Started by Byron and Kim Brown, Akamai Coffee presents a variety of 100% Maui-grown coffee, including award-winning Maui Mokka, which won “Best Coffee in the State of Hawaiʻi” at the Hawaiʻi Coffee Association cupping competition when it debuted. In addition to coffee, Akamai Coffee at Wailea Village also offers tasty brunch delights until 2 p.m. including pastries, breakfast sandwiches, waffles, salads and the ever-popular avocado toast!

Stop by another South side favorite: Manoli’s Pizza Company for lunch, dinner or late-night cravings. Restaurateur Aaron Placourakis has been a prominent leader in the local community for more than four decades, creating jobs and contributing to the local economy through Manoli’s Pizza Company and his other restaurants throughout the islands. Manoli’s is named after both his father and his youngest son, symbolizing the intersection of three generations. Manoli’s Pizza Company offers a fusion of Greek, Italian and Hawaiʻi favorites in its salads, pizzas, sandwiches, pasta and desserts. The open-air restaurant offers views of the Wailea Blue Golf Course, a perfect setting to enjoy wine and unique cocktails with your meal. Manoli’s offers daily happy hour from 3 to 5 p.m. and a late-night menu from 10 – midnight.

Two additional restaurants are expected to open in early 2023 including 1111 Nikkei Sushi and Kohola Brewery Tap Room. 1111 Nikkei Sushi will present a blend of Peruvian, Japanese and Hawaiʻi cuisine. Kohola Brewery Taproom will offer beer-tasting flights of its locally-made craft brews and gourmet food.

Wailea Village is South Maui’s new dining and shopping haven, focusing on bringing

locally-owned boutiques and galleries to Maui’s luxury resort destination. Designed to be a gathering place for visitors and kamaʻaina emphasizing local, casual, creative and artful offerings, Wailea Village is a carefully curated retail, art and dining experience. Shops and restaurants include Akamai Coffee, Aloha Hat Company, Bikini Market, Droplets., HUE Home + Design, Manoli’s Pizza Company, Paper Garden, Sabado Gallery and Boutique, Snorkel Bob’s, Wailea Blue Course Pro Shop and soon-to-open 1111 Nikkei Sushi and Kohola Brewery Tap Room.

Wailea Village is located at 116 Wailea Ike Drive.

For more information, visit waileavillage.com or follow on social media @waileavillage.