A Hui Ho and Farewell to the Kohala Book Shop
Posted on | January 3, 2009 | 1 Comment Leave a comment | Print This Post
It is the end of an era. I just received news that on February 1, 2009, the Kohala Book Shop in Kapaau on the Big Island of Hawaii is closing its doors.
The Kohala Book Shop is the largest new and used book store in the state of Hawaii. Their inventory of over 30,000 books, including the largest collection of Hawaiiana in the United States, will continue to be sold on the internet starting on May 1.
“It’s been a wonderful 10 years,” says owner Jan Morgan. “But we decided that it is time to retire, once again, and call our life our own”. The Morgans retired and moved from Boston to Hawaii in 1995, then started the book store in 1998.
Frank and Jan are not only wonderful booksellers, but witty, intelligent and amazing people. My husband and I love them and all they’ve done for readers and writers, including us. Owning and running a bookstore is no easy task and I know it has truly been a labor of love for them.
If you’re on the Big Island before February 1, make a point of traveling up to Kapaau and visiting them (buy some books too, will ya?). After May 1, visit them online at kohalabooks.com.
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July 6th, 2009 @ 3:36 pm
Aw that is so sad.
Unfortunately I wasn’t able to make it to their store, but I will definitely stop by the website. I live in California and one of my favorite used book stores is also closing its doors. These stores are so hard to come by nowadays. I commend the Morgans for hanging in there so long!