With a tight budget stretched between school charges and living costs, students share their favorite places to get Christmas gifts around the island, including the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet, thrift shops, Give and Take at SWATT Farms and Hukilau Marketplace at the Polynesian Cultural Center.
Swap meet at the Aloha Stadium
The Swap Meet in Honolulu hosted at the Aloha Stadium takes place almost every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday morning. It is not open throughout the week outside of Wednesday, and the hours of operation are subject to change with the high school football game schedule. It is about a two-hour bus ride from BYU–Hawaii.
The Swap Meet’s website says, “We offer endless rows of over 400 local merchants offering the best value on imported merchandise, handmade items, eclectic art pieces, popular local snacks and other made in Hawaii products. This is sure to be your one-stop destination to find that special gift or souvenir for everyone on your list.”
Since the Swap Meet is a competitive street market, customers can bargain with the business front owners on goods they want to purchase. There is a variety of souvenirs, typical Hawaiian knick-knacks and plenty of food.
Kaite Reid, a freshman from Utah studying bio medicine, said she was able to find great and flexible deals dependent on the different vendors. She said there was anything from Hawaiian souvenirs to quality hand-crafted goods offered.
“I got some good deals, but it was very hot, so make sure to bring lots of water. There were a lot of local sellers that had great things to sell us.”
The Aloha Stadium Swap Meet is open Wednesday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sundays from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Thrift stores
Hawaii is home to many thrift store brands, including the Salvation Army, Goodwill, and Savers. While they are mostly across the island, students said it was worth the drive for the unbeatable bargains.
Naina Tai Hook, a freshman from Hauula studying psychology, said, “Savers is just a really good place for cheap stuff that is lightly used and good quality most of the time.”
According to their website, Savers is concerned with reducing, reusing and recycling secondhand goods that still have a lot of life left in them.
“It’s about one-of-a-kind finds for one-of-a-kind people and helping keep usable items out of landfills. Recycle, upcycle, pre-loved and ready to be loved again.”
Give and Take
Similar to thrift stores, Give and Take is sandwiched behind TVA and the Rugby Field. Just a short walk away for students on campus, students can do 30 minutes of service and can take any 10 items home with them, including anything from textbooks to televisions. Service can range from sorting the items to cleaning the store.
Give and Take is in partnership with SWATT Farms, with their ultimate goal being to provide easy and inexpensive access to goods for students.
According to their Facebook, all students need to do is to show up to their location in Honor Code standards and be willing to put forth some work. Students can decide how long they want to work.
“We appreciate your participation and support and thank all those who are involved with us. We always need help filling our center with donations and volunteers to hasten our work.”
Hukilau Marketplace
Students can take the five to ten-minute walk to Hukilau Marketplace, which offers a variety of stores with plenty of gift opportunities. It is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Featured in the marketplace are shops like Goo’s Plantation Store, Hapa Home, Nona’s Tropical Threads, Na Hoku and Tahitian Treasures.
Yi Fang Chou, a sophomore from Taiwan studying hospitality and tourism management and an employee at Goo’s Plantation Store, said during the holiday season, there are more and more students trying to get last-minute gifts to take home or give to friends.
“I have met a lot of people that came here to buy gifts. As I remember from last year, they bought a lot of candies, sweatshirts and dashboard hula girls. Basically, anything that has Hawaiian flavor.”
According to their website, “The Polynesian goods and cuisine of that nostalgic, 1950s era are offered once again at the new Hukilau Marketplace. Come experience a new dining and shopping experience, accompanied by the sights, sounds and tastes of the North Shore’s good ol’ days.”