Tin Can Mailman

Such a cool store… filled with vintage EVERYTHING. If you want to experience a blast from the past, be sure to visit. I bought a really cool vintage book from the statehood era. Will definitely visit again on our next trip.

Great find located in the heart of Chinatown. While slightly overwhelming at first, you are instantly in awe of the amazing Hawaiian memorabilia available and even better are the affordable prices! Chris, the manager, is super friendly and very helpful and knowledgable in all areas of Hawaiian collectables. I highly recommend for all antique enthusiasts and kitschy Tiki fans!

what a place! Chris, the store manager knows his stuff! A must-​stop for Hawaiiana
Antiques in Chinatown.

What a fascinating place filled with Hawaiian history. Everything is so well organized and presented really, in a way, that’s so pleasing to the eye– particularly for a very small shop. You can learn a lot here, take your time, and ask questions, they are happy to educate!

Another great vintage-​antique store! If you want anything Hawaii related then this store is for you! It’s a great little shop that offers a wide variety goods like posters, suitcases, Hawaii goods, etc. Its such a neat little shop to check out, If your in the area.

Love this place!!!

I think I read about this place in Honolulu magazine when they were talking about some small businesses in Chinatown. This place is full of old Hawaiiana. It has tons of memorabilia and vintage Hawaii items. What made me want to venture here was my friend had gotten some old black and white photos of Hawaii back in the day from here. I decided to check this store out. I mean who wouldn’t want to check out a store with a catchy name like Tin can Mailman.
They have metered parking in front which you could get lucky and snag or park in the Municipal parking that’s on Beretania St, immediately right after Nuuanu Ave. It is very convenient and parking rates are reasonable. It is is a fairly short walk.
Make sure to check their hours, they have limited store hours and have by appt only times too.
The place is small and crammed full of old Hawaii. The owner is very nice and friendly. He is also very knowledgeable. All the photographs I asked him, he could tell me where and approximately when the photo was taken. There is tons of stuff. There is vintage clothing, jewelry, books, brochures, postcards, knick knacks, etc. The items are a bit pricey but that’s what you would expect at a store like this. There is a great variety of items to look at from etched vases to old brochures of Matson Lines.
It was a very interesting experience to see how old Hawaii was compared to this day and age.
If you are a tourist, you can get a unique piece to remember your trip to Hawaii. Or if you are a local, you should still stop in and get a piece of old Hawaii to appreciate.
I obviously was not born during old Hawaii times but this place still gave me a very nostalgic feeling.
No matter how much downtown changes, as long as this place is there, there will always be a part of old downtown Hawaii there.
^_​^*~

Wow lots of memorabilia of Old Posters, Postcards, Plates, Brochures, Aloha Shirts, and other Knick Knacks I was impressed of the nice display of things to browse through I have passed the store on many occasions on my way to lunch so my curiosity got me and I had to go in.
I’m glad I did as I will be going back to browse some of their old pictures and stuff to maybe start a small collection.

For the person who loves listening to Don Tiki, has the whole tiki bar setup in their homes complete with tiki mugs, pictures of Don Ho, and wooden tikis … OR those, like me, who appreciate vintage Hawaiiana/​Hawaiian collectibles and the styling/​décor/​design of a long ago era when Hawai’i was a recently christened U.S. state and there was the lingering allure of tropical white sandy beaches emblazoned in the minds of people across America.
Do acid etched vases by Frank Oda/​House of Pua tickle your pickle?
Or would a porcelain clothed hula girl from Treasure Craft of Maui be more like it?
A Ming’s brooch or necklace or more?
How about some ancients etchings of Hawaiians/​life in Hawai’i done by a European explorer whose body was lost at sea shortly after he drew them?
Dorothy Okumoto white ceramic porcelain pieces, automated hula girl lamps that sway their hips from side to side, Kimo Nani 3-​D velvet & ceramic paintings, glass floats, John Kelly menus, etc. If you’re an avid collector of vintage Hawaiiana and artifacts, then this place is worthy of a look. Even if you’re not, it’s just fun to come in and browse through!
The two owners moved their shop from Kaua’i to here several years ago and word has been slowly getting out about them. They were featured on a brief segment for Hawaiian Airlines and I had to go down there to visit.
Their store name has a cool ring to it and I’ve passed by their store quite a few times late at night in Chinatown (before going to a club or after I leave some event down there).