Jewelry kiosk a rare gem at Kahala Mall

The roster of designers who have passed through Lo Kaimuloa’s Riches kiosk at Kahala Mall reads like a who’s who of best-selling contemporary jewelry artists today.

Mizuki, Alexis Bittar, Ippolita and Jose and Maria Barrera, whose pieces now grace the jewelry counters of such national retailers as Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, were just starting out when they arrived in Hawaii first through Riches. In 1993 Kaimuloa took a chance on an unknown handbag designer named Kate Spade before her brand took off three years later, and she has nurtured dozens of promising local designers over the years.

Their ranks include Bliss Lau, who was just a fashion student when she approached Kaimuloa with her first collection of handbags, and Misa Hamamoto, the designer behind Misa Jewelry. Now based in New York, Lau continues to design jewelry and accessories and teaches at Parsons School of Design. Hamamoto moved to Los Angeles to grow her brand, which is regularly featured in magazines like Elle, Lucky, InStyle and Glamour, and worn by such young Hollywood celebs as Jennifer Lawrence, Julianne Hough and Vanessa Hudgens.

“If I had kept just one piece from each artist, I’d have a museum by now. But I had to pay the rent,” joked Kaimuloa, who is marking her 30th anniversary at Kahala Mall today.

Kaimuloa said she’s frequently asked why she never expanded from her 200-square-foot space or moved into a more traditional storefront.

“The main reason was because I wanted to be with my boys when they were growing up. Family was so important,” she said. “I thought this space worked well on all levels. It was more intimate for clients, and I didn’t have to worry as much about stealing.”

These days, you can’t walk through a mall without being confronted by salespeople pitching skin cream or other wares out of kiosks, but Kaimuloa, 60, was a kiosk pioneer who never had to resort to aggressive tactics. She simply let her artisan jewelry and handbags do the beckoning.

She developed her eye for jewelry while working as a manager at Bernard Hurtig’s high-end jewelry gallery at the Kahala Hilton 30 years ago, a time when the concept of “casual luxury” didn’t exist. There were only markets for classic precious stone and metal jewelry, Hawaiian heirloom-style jewelry and costume jewelry.

A friend approached her about opening a store, and Kaimuloa was willing to give it a shot. The focus would be unique, artisan-crafted jewelry, and one of the first local artists Kaimuloa found was Ira Ono, from Hawaii island’s Volcano community, who continues to innovate.

Over the years her business weathered boom and bust cycles but was able to survive by being ahead of trends and being the eyes for local clientele eager to discover what’s new.

“Because there’s not a lot of tourists here, we see a lot of the same clientele from day to day. Because of that we have to constantly turn over product to be fresh and new,” Kaimuloa said. “People think we’re high-end, but I really try to offer something for everyone. I have pieces starting from $20.”

Riches itself is on trend, as shoppers suffering from retail fatigue are looking for items that are unique and special versus mass-produced. The rise of artisan culture, fueled by YouTube tutorials and easy online access to supplies, helped people become more discerning.

Her advice to budding artists is from her own playbook: “Don’t be everywhere, because then you’re not unique anymore.”