The Hawaiian gift shop Paia Mercantile on Main Street in downtown Walnut Creek, California is closing permanently. The store launched a bit over two years ago.
Paia Mercantile sold Hawaiian gifts, food items, books and more. It reminded me of the ubiquitous gift stores and general stores you find on islands like Maui, except transported to the Bay Area.
The large store had a wide variety of Hawaiian gifts, including many handcrafted items. The extensive inventory is being auctioned off over time, a sign on the door of the store indicated during a recent visit from the Bay Area Telegraph.
The closure of Paia Mercentile is a big loss for Bay Area residents who want to get a taste of Hawaii closer to home. Now we’ll need to wait until our next trip to the islands to get authentic island items.
