da Bead Shop — Local services in Hawaii

Each time I travel I always find a local bead shop to pick up some cool finds to bring back home. My family and I drove over 35 minutes to this place since it had such stellar reviews online. Once we arrived the owner was busy with another couple that seemed to frequent the shop. There was not greeting what so ever. My mother and I stayed in the shop for about 15 minutes. The owner continued to talk to the other couple for almost the entire time that we were there, after the couple finally left maybe 13 minutes into us being there the owner still took her time to speak. Eventually she did say hello and said if we have any questions to let her know. By that point, I was already ready to walk out the door. There is no reason the owner could not temporarily pause the conversation and greeted my mother and I.

I have never received such horrible service, most of the time when you enter a bead shop you are greeted and are made aware of how to notate the items you would like to purchase since the items are so small. It took my mom and I some time to figure out there were clipboards with little paper sheets to notate the items.

Needless to say upon visiting the island again I will not waist my time. The selection was okay, nothing like the selection I am use to at home but I did find one or two small bead shell beads that caught my eye, but I was not about to patronize a business that did not seem to even want me in their store.

I forgot to add the customer before us were speaking very loudly about this woman and her store having a stellar reputation and she is by far the best bead store in town. I would have loved to continue the accolades but unfortunately that was not at all what I experienced at all. Just maybe I would have received better service if I was not kissed by the sun (meaning chocolate in skin color).

Note to the owner: Always greet your customers (its never killed anyone to be friendly). Also, It doesn't hurt to give your customers a quick explanation on how to shop your store. Being negligent on one or both of these things will surely...

Unfortunately I used to absolutely love this store. I love supporting local businesses. I would get presents here for my friends birthdays often. This is why I was so upset by the experience that I recently had.

I purchased a pair of Tahitian pearls and had them made into post earrings there on the spot. In a couple of months they where completely corroded and caused my earlobes to turn green. I didn’t try to return them than but I mentioned it to my husband.

For our anniversary, he went to the shop and bought me a custom pair that was similar but completely 14k gold. These ones didn’t tarnish but the backings were so loose that the earrings would become loose and dangle or fall off.

Essentially we spent over $400 and ended up with no wearable earrings.

When I brought both pairs into the store to talk to the owner I suggested that she simply trade me for one wearable pair. I wasn’t even asking for a full refund or anything like that. I just wanted a pair of wearable Tahitian pearl posts after spending $400 at her shop. She subsequently got on a call with the other owner where within earshot, in the middle of the store, she discussed the situation in such a way as to completely discredit me and question my character. When she got off the call she implied 1) I might be lying about getting the earrings there (I had bought the initial pair with cash) 2) My body was unusually ‘acidic’ so that is why the earrings tarnished 3) The 14k earrings which where too loose and fell off when I wore them ‘worked just fine’. She suggested I try to sell them myself. I would never try to sell something of such poor quality.

Needless to say I left there feeling not only disappointed but personally attack. I know this is a small local business but that is even more reason that they should be taking better care of their...

I had such a disappointing experience at this bead shop. I went in with my daughter, excited to make a bracelet together, but the woman working there was incredibly rude from the moment we walked in. She spoke to me in a condescending tone, like I didn’t know what I was doing—and frankly, like I wasn’t even welcome in the shop.

It was obvious she had no interest in helping us. Instead, she prioritized the white tourists who came in after us, offering them smiles and attentive service while completely brushing us off. As a local, it’s hurtful and frustrating to be treated like you don’t belong in your own community.

We left feeling uncomfortable and unwelcome. I’d recommend taking your business somewhere else—somewhere where respect and aloha...