Cindy’s Lei & Flower Shoppe

Please read before you get leis shipped from Cindy’s!!!
This business should be ashamed of themselves and definitely does not represent «aloha.» I am a teacher born and raised in Hawaii, and also teaching summer school. I could not afford to go to North Carolina to see my niece graduate high school. My niece really wanted a haku and so we ordered one, along with 9 leis, to be shipped. Cindy’s Leis failed to put the haku with the order. There is no overnight delivery and so there was no way we could get her a haku for her graduation. The first time we contacted them, my sister called. When she told me the conversation, I was furious and so upset. The guy who helped her (unfortunately, she didn’t get his name) was so indifferent and nonchalant about it. He said he would refund the money for the haku, but offered no sympathy. I called back, and spoke to him. He reflected the same shameful attitude. In tears, I asked to speak to the owner. Karen came on the phone and offered up more sympathy. I really wanted them to understand the sentiment behind this haku. As a young girl, my niece had to leave as her father was in the military. She has visited several times and calls Hawaii her home. It’s not just a haku – it’s a gesture of love and culture. I find it shameful to sell leis in Hawaii and not recognize this sentiment and disappointment in the situation. In fact the initial worker said, «Maybe it was human error.» He seemed to thiknk that perhaps we were making the missing haku up. Karen seemed to understand and asked if my niece had a graduation party. I said yes, actually, 2 days after her graduation. Karen said they would get the haku out the next day so that she would have it for her party. Well, today was her party and no haku. ;(I called and Karen stated that the haku was made but they didn’t follow up on sending it out. «Sorry» is all she could say. I find this story hard to believe. If you were so sorry about the initial mistake, you would have made damn sure to get that haku out.
With no room for error, the should have double-​checked, or triple-​check orders! They provided no invoice with the order, but insist that on their side, their checklist was completed. (Obviously not, because I assure you I would not have spent all this time and energy, had the haku been delivered.) They refunded the money for the haku lei, but at this point, that didn’t matter much.
I teach at a high school where work with many students, and have helped with many proms and other events. I will be ABSOLUTELY SURE to get the word out that this business is a disgrace to the ALOHA spirit.
Shame on you.

My haku leis was ready for pick up on the day I requested it. Perfect. Their prices are very reasonable and the haku leis is what I expected. This place is easy to find and there’s a self service parking not far from there. $ 3 for half an hour and I only took like 10 minutes. I will seriously do business at Cindy’s again. Paul was the one who took my order and he was also the one that handed me my haku leis. I’m very happy with my purchases. Thank you!

Poor service! Do you not like tourists?
We were visiting chinatown and walked by the store, thought it would be treat to get a lei for our young daughter. When we went back to buy a lei, it was packed with people and after waiting for them to clear up, thought it was finally my turn and another customer (she was obvioulsy a local based on her convo with her daughter) came up and the lady working there acknowledged her right away and totally ignored me. Am I just a statue? You think I’d be standing in the middle of the tiny store if I didn’t need help! So rude!!! I just talked away. You guys suck!

I’m not a flower or plant person… in fact, whenever I’m given a beautiful lei or bouquet on special occasions, I fear that my «brown thumb» will come out within hours of receiving the special gift. I remember receiving fragrant and gorgeous pikake bud (jasminum sambac) leis or long-​stemmed Kamuela roses from my husband for special occasions or sometimes for «just because» but within hours, those gorgeous blossoms would be wilting and crying for their life! I love the fragrances and beauty of our Hawaiian flowers but apparently, I don’t know how to care for them.
Fast forward to just a week prior to our trip to the Mainland, we wanted to arrange for purchase and delivery of a maile or other flower lei which would be suitable for my husband’s younger brother living in California. We stopped in to see fellow Unilocal Elite, Paul C., for ideas. It was busy when we arrived in to the shop. They were servicing customers who were arranging floral arrangements or lei for their occasions. We wanted and waited to see Paul for his expertise.
We described when we’d need the lei and wanted to have it sent to Los Angeles. Paul was kind and patient with us to offer several options after he advised us of an Agricultural Department ban of hand carrying maile to California while it was permissible to send maile via courier. We told him that we weren’t going directly to Los Angeles and would be in San Diego for several days before. Paul suggested that we could hand carry braided ti leaf lei which would last while we were in San Diego and be in «perfect» condition by the time we actually needed it. The ti leaf lei was nice looking but didn’t have the distinctive maile fragrance. We were set on maile as he told us that it would cost an extra $ 35 to FedEx the lei. He also mentioned that fresh maile would be coming in from Hilo, Hawaii on the following Monday. Ding! We remembered that my husband’s brother-​in-​law was flying up to Los Angeles the following week Tuesday morning to meet us so we arranged to have the brother-​in-​law pick up and bring the fresh lei with him.
We appreciate and thank Paul C. at Cindy’s Lei Shop for offering us floral and delivery options. The lei arrived in perfect condition! My husband’s brother wore it to a special event and a good number of Angelenos complimented him on it.
# 600

Had a boutonnière made for senior prom and it looked great with my white suit. However it was a bit difficult because it came with only 1 pin that was not enough to support it well.

One of the best lei shops in Honolulu. :) Got a reply answering all my questions in a day. I ordered a corsage for prom, it was beautiful and sizable!

First, let me say that I am not a flower person. They are pretty and some smell really nice, but I’m just not into them. (Hubby lucked out when he married me!) So, when I needed to order a boutenniere for my daughter’s prom date, I had to ask for help. I contacted the awesome Daniel C. for his advice & he pointed me to Cindy’s Lei Shop in Chinatown. He told me to ask for Paul. Okie dokie!
Cindy’s Lei Shop is located on Maunakea Street. It’s just before the Chinatown Municipal Parking Lot on the street. In fact, if you park in the lot, the stairway door comes out right by the shop! There is street parking available, but it is rare most times.
As we entered, there are refrigerated cases that contain various leis, flowers, and arrangements. I asked the gentleman sitting in the front for Paul & he directed me toward the back of the store. Paul greeted my daughter & me so warmly! I told him what we were looking for & Paul took over from there. He was showing us samples, asking questions, and making suggestions. He is so knowledgable! He even asked the height of my daughter’s date, the color of his tux, and wanted to see the color of her dress so he could make sure everything would be on point! That’s AMAZING customer service.
While he was talking to my daughter, I got a chance to browse the different arrangements. I was so impressed with the arrangements that I decided to order Mother’s Day flowers for gifts! We also placed an order for my daughter’s graduation haku. Paul worked with her — incorporating her class color, favorite colors, and what would make her haku stand out. He brought out samples of the various flowers he could put into her haku and listened to what my daughter wanted. I really appreciated that.
The pricing on the flowers were very affordable! Apparently, when you have no clue about flowers & just buy from anywhere, you don’t realize how the prices are inflated!
Paul gave me the option of paying now or at time of pick up. I opted to pay now because I was thinking that I would have the hubby drive down & I could just jump out of the car to grab & go. (Again, parking in Chinatown can be cumbersome!) Paul said that the store does curbside pickup!!! WHAT!!! He gave me the card & marked the direct line to call. All you have to do is call ahead, describe you car, & they will be waiting out there to give you your flowers! That’s FANTASTIC!!!
I could not be any more happier with the service & the quality of the flowers at Cindy’s. Paul is wonderful at treating the customer & really helping you to get the perfect flowers for your occasion. Cindy’s is now my go-​to place for all my floral needs!!!
(34)

I have a new lei shop.
Beautiful leis, reasonably priced, friendly, easy to work with.
They have 1.5 minute parking. Just leave your hazards on.

Service, quality and price are the perfect trifecta and this place delivers on point! I walked in and was immediately greeted with a smile. I knew I was shopping for a men’s lei so I asked what they had available specifically in a Kukui nut for a friend’s birthday. I was shown the refrigerated display case and even provided descriptions about some of the leis. They had the solid or the tan nut. I was even explained that the solid black nut traditionally ‘t really matter and to go with what I liked best. I chose one, bagged it up and I was on my way. I’d highly recommend and will definitely go back because of the selection and great customer service!
It’s a small shop on Maunakea Street in between Hotel and King Street, just look for the hanging red and white sign!

Their service is really great. They really do fit to our needs. I was not able to go to the store and called Instead to see what kinds of corsages they had, so they texted me pictures. This made me close the deal, and buy one of their corsages for a great price and value. This guy named Paul really helped me a lot. Thanks Paul!
I tried calling other flower shops to text me pictures, they said they can and I have not heard from them yet. This is the only flower shop that really has it all.

There are so many flower shops on Maunakea Street in Downtown Honolulu, This little flower shop is one of the few on the right side of the street a block up from King Street. I discovered this shop thanks to Paul C (a sweet Unilocal peep you all need to meet).
I’ve sent my boss and his friends there when they needed flowers for a father/​daughter dance at their daughter’s high school. I’ve sent friends there when they’ve asked me where to get leis and most recently, I purchased a lei there for my friend who was moving. The lei was a thick tuberose lei with green dendrobiums and pink rose buds. It was a pretty lei that would hopefully last until her flight two days later. They had beautiful ginger lei (plain and with colored accents), pikake with rose buds, rose arrangements and other beautiful lei for your every need.
I’ve looked at pictures that were posted on their Unilocal page and I need one of those pikake combs for my hula concert next month! It’s so pretty!
Thank you Paul for helping me find a beautiful lei for my friend!

I got a lesson on the flowers. The person was very friendly and I returned to purchase flowers.
Great smile and great service
Shalom

OMG! Fantastic Lei’s and Flower arrangements.
Helpful service with a friendly smile.
Don’t forget the great prices…

My grandma who will be turning 94 in less than a week has never left the New York tri-​state area. Since moving to Hawaii, every photo she’s seen of leis, she’s remarked about how beautiful they are, and asked question after question about them batting her eyes at me in such a way that I knew what was expected.
Enter Cindy’s Lei and Flower Shop. Let me tell you they have the patience of an angel. I’ve never ordered a lei by phone, let alone for my 94 year old grandmother who means the world to me. The woman who took my order took the time to go over flower options and explain which ones were most fragrant and durable due to the fact that they would be shipped to the mainland. She also was meticulous in ensuring all of the shipping information was correct and making sure that it would arrive on time.
I absolutely cannot wait to see my grandma’s face when the lei arrives. She will be absolutely stunned after last years excuse of «oh I can’t take flowers on a plane.»
If you’re looking for flowers or leis, I wouldn’t hesitate for a moment to give Cindy’s my business. They definitely have customer service down to a science. Thank you so much!

I needed a unique and lovely birthday gift to give to my dear friend Kathy A. who is a Unilocaler extraordinaire and lives in Oahu, Hawaii, the 50^th state of the USA! I immediately thought of this floral emporium and called. I spoke with Paul C., whose aunt owns this business, if he could help me.
Paul highly recommended that we go with tropicals as the humidity levels in Oahu have been high with the ongoing storms drenching the entire Hawaiian island chain. He said regular flowers would not last in this humidity but the tropicals would stand a chance. Paul also suggested that the tropicals be presented in a basket and filled in for a natural appearance. Other greens would round out the arrangement and a lovely satin bow would be woven around the basket and tied into a bow.
Paul sent me via text photos of the ‘360’ arrangement of tropicals. I was beyond delighted and it was just gorgeous! The ‘360’ means that the arrangement is full and luscious no matter which side you look at. What a plus! Paul’s floral designer did an excellent job!
Needless to say, this is my #1 choice to order leis or other unique floral arrangements for family/​friends in the mainland or in Hawaii. You should consider placing that order today! It’s so easy, pick up the phone and ask for Paul!
Happy birthday Kathy!

Cindy’s is an institution in the heart of Chinatown. On our last trip to Oahu, we renewed our vows on Waikiki Beach and my wife’s aunt bought some gorgeous leis for us from Cindy’s. They were the perfect touch to a beautiful ceremony at the Outrigger Beach Hotel on a dazzling morning. With the waves crashing on the beach of paradise, how can it be anything but perfect?
Fast forward a couple of years and our aunt fell ill and was hospitalized in Honolulu. I didn’t remember our great experience with Cindy’s at first, but was reminded by Auntie Nadine C. We called up and got in touch with Paul C. He took care of us and sent over a stunning arrangement of Wild Ginger flowers and Birds of Paradise. I couldn’t have been happier with the fantastic service! Thanks Paul & Nadine!

I’ve got to chime in on everyone’s rave reviews for Cindy’s Lei & Flower Shoppe. I’ve been a customer for YEARS, since my auntie told me that’s where she goes. Little did I know, when I contacted Paul C about ordering lei for my niece’s Mainland graduation, that this shop has been in his family for over 50 years!
I’ve always found the customer service, freshness and variety of lei at Cindy’s great. Working with Paul to plan my order was also great. He gave me honest advice and opinions about what would work with my niece’s school colors, shipping parameters, and what lei would go well with all the other ones we were ordering. My lei order was perfect, and everything was ready when we pulled up to curb to pick up all of the floral goodness on my way to HNL. Most importantly, everything arrived on the Mainland fresh and beautiful for the next day’s grad, and my niece was the belle of her Mainland graduation. A few other kids had an orchid lei or two, but we really showed them how it’s done!
Thanks, Paul & all of Cindy’s, for being a neighborhood fixture all of these years. I’m so glad to support your business!
Tip: If it’s grad/​prom/​wedding season, things get busy and they may not answer their phone. If you show up in person, even at 5:45 pm, you’ll have easy parking in the municipal lot right next door, and should be able to get in, get your lei or ordering done & get out in the 15-​minutes grace period for parking!

Graduation season can be super stressful times for grads, parents of grads, friends of grads and especially lei makers. I used to work at a florist and I know people can be a little crazy and particular about their orders. I’m one of those people, and thankfully, Cindys was able to provide me with an awesome haku for my graduation:)
My mother has been coming to Cindy’s for leis forever, so when u asked her for a recommendation on where to get my graduation haku from, she suggested Cindy’s. As aforementioned, I used to work for a florist and I know my flowers pretty well. I’m a little picky, especially when I’m paying for a custom haku. I was able to tell one of the workers here exactly what I wanted, and when I picked up my haku, I was not disappointed. My haku lei from Cindys went above and beyond my expectations. It lasted through graduation, and I received so many compliments!
Like I said, I understand graduation season is a stressful time. However, it’s not an excuse for less than great service. While the lady who took my order was friendly, I called back the next day to see if I could change the time of my pick up and the man on the phone was really rude. He assumed I was calling to cancel my order… It was like my business wasn’t worth anything because I was only ordering one haku lei. I’m sure Cindys gets tons of huge orders, but customer service shouldn’t be impacted just because I made a small order.
Park in the maunakea municipal lot! In addition to custom orders, they have pre made hakus, a variety of leis and some bouquets. They even have a discounted lei display!

There is a reason that Cindy’s Lei & Flower Shoppe has been voted over and over again the ‘Best of” so many city wide reviews over many years.
This is a place that virtually never closes. They are open very early in the morning and stay open until the evening. Monday-​Saturday 6am-​6pm, Sunday 6am-​5pm.
They have flowers and leis for selection and purchase from their cases, but for most, their special order leis is the main attraction. They are known for the most beautiful and freshest leis around. They take pre-​orders and can deliver by means of overnight air to the Mainland and the other islands. Their staff will work with you to insure you have the perfect lei for your special occasion or that last minute drive by selection when you don’t have time to order.
This is a family business that has thrived many years by maintaining their reputation as the best lei shop in Hawaii.

This is our go to place for leis. For every ocassion that comes up this is the spot for me. No hassles, competitively priced, great customer service and very accommodating to one’s needs. Just let them know what you have planned, and they are great with suggestions.
When ever I’m doing an airport greet, I pay for it in advance. On the day of, when I get close, I call letting them know I am close. They will watch my car to come by, and depending how busy the street is, are darn good at practically throwing the leis into the car. I like this arrangement bc my fridge is usually full and they are on the path to the airport from my place.
Thanks to Paul C. for posting the beautiful pictures of the Leis they have there making it easier to place your order. But, you know, as nice as these pictures they just don’t do it justice. When you get the chance, when you’re in Chinatown, maybe eating at Maguro Bro., stop by and see what they have. The friendly staff will show you the leis, explain some things about them or the flowers they use, what is traditional, what is used now, etc.
Want to get leid? No questions asked, this is where you want to go.