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    Better Than Retail

    5.0 (1 review)
    InexpensiveDiscount Store
    Closed 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

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    10 years ago

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    Daiso - I picked this up from Daiso. 50th anniversary bottle of Kikkoman Shoyu.

    Daiso

    4.1(186 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $

    I was staying at the YMCA again, and I needed some clothes hangers. I had never heard of this store…read morebefore, but I found their name when I googled the term "dollar store." I called, and they said that they had them. This place was just down the street. I liked it a lot. The best way to describe it is like a Japanese version of "Dollar General." prices are a little bit more than a dollar, but are very very reasonable. If you need something, there's a good chance they will have it. They have seasonal items, kitchen, wear, cups, dishes, items for the bedroom and bathroom crafting supplies, just a very, very good selection of "this and that. The store is spotless, and everybody was very friendly. I would come back in a heartbeat. Thank you! UPDATE: When I got back to California, I was visiting my sister. Her daughter was visiting from the East Coast, and they mentioned Daiso. I had no idea they were on the mainland, I thought it was just a "Hawaii thing." we went to the local store, and it was just as good as the store that I visited in Hawaii. Daiso is just overall a great store.

    12/06/25 First time to this location. I usually go to the Pearl City store but they were out of…read morean item I wanted so decided to check here. This store is located on a very busy corner of Piikoi and Young streets. If you are coming from the west and set your GPS, it will take you east on S King street, turning left on Piikoi, then left into the Daiso parking lot. Do not follow these directions! You cannot make a left turn into the parking lot because they have it chained off and closed. The only entrance to the parking lot is on Young Street. If you turn left on Young from Piikoi, you cannot turn left into the parking lot because there is a huge no left turn sign. I had to go down Young then turn around by Longs. Talk about frustrating. Finally got to the parking lot and saw a couple of open spaces. It is a small lot and spaces are pretty tight. There are signs saying to wait for the attendant as he directs cars. If there are no spaces available at the moment, you sit and wait for the attendant to direct you. Fortunately, I was able to grab one of the last 2 available spaces. From the outside, the store looks small but once you walk in and turn to the right, the aisles stretch the length of the building. The store is well stocked and clean. Somehow in this small space, they manage to not only pack in so many items but seems neater and more organized. I found what I was looking for which were silicone covers for bowls. The cashier that helped me was very nice and friendly and she did confirm that this location is smaller than the Pearl City store. Overall, I had a good experience here except for entering the parking lot. Best thing for next time if coming from the west, instead of coming down S. King St, come down Young St heading east and then turn right into the parking lot.

    Photos
    Daiso - Entrance area of Daiso on Piikoi Street.

    Entrance area of Daiso on Piikoi Street.

    Daiso - Picked up some DEALAGES! Slippahs ($4.25 each), Ice Tray ($1.75), & Spray Water Bottles ($1.75 each).

    Picked up some DEALAGES! Slippahs ($4.25 each), Ice Tray ($1.75), & Spray Water Bottles ($1.75 each).

    Daiso - Good kine rubbah slippah's! Da buggah is just ($4.45 w/tax). Similar like those Crocs slippah's!

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    Good kine rubbah slippah's! Da buggah is just ($4.45 w/tax). Similar like those Crocs slippah's!

    Wholesale Unlimited Express - Huff 'n Puff is available here!

    Wholesale Unlimited Express

    4.5(71 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$

    Wholesale Unlimited Inc. was founded in 1965 when Betty Nagamoto initially sold beef jerky to local…read morebars and markets from the trunk of her car. The warehouse is located in Waipahu and they now have six locations under "Wholesale Unlimited Express" throughout Oahu. This location in Honolulu is in a small plaza with a small amount of parking. Although the shop is small, they have a variety of Hawaii snacks including many with li hing powder. There were even a lot of snacks here that I found in Japan which was amazing to see so I grabbed a lot of those. Comparing these prices to other stores around the island, we found that Wholesale Unlimited was the best bang for our buck. The worker (I never got her name) was so friendly! We were chatting about some of her favorite snacks and we got to sample some as well.

    My friend gave me this Japanese milk candy that was so good. She said she got it from here. I had…read moreto get some of my own. I entered the store and the saleswoman was stocking the shelves. She asked if I needed any help. I showed her the candy that I was looking for. She pointed it out to me. I grabbed a bag $4.25. I also saw the Betty's Best cookies. I had to pick up one of those. I got the 8oz. chocolate chip arare $6.75. I love that these cookies are crunchy. They also sell seed, dried seafood and many other snacks.

    Photos
    Wholesale Unlimited Express - Insulated bags filled with goodies - ready for gift giving!

    Insulated bags filled with goodies - ready for gift giving!

    Wholesale Unlimited Express - Storefront

    Storefront

    Wholesale Unlimited Express - The mochi crunch (arare) wall

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    The mochi crunch (arare) wall

    Don Quijote - Now that's a BIIG Musubi.

    Don Quijote

    4.0(1.2k reviews)
    2.4 mi
    $$

    Don Don Don Donki, is that how the song goes? hehe.. didn't hear song during this shopping trip but…read morethat always get stuck in my head when I am here. Small kid time I remember use to be Holiday Mart, then Daiei and now Don Quijote. I use to love shopping here with my parents for the dipped yogurt ice cream, I think they use to have an ice crem shop at the front of the store. During middle school days we would come here for Sanrio & Leigh's Wishing Well when laminated, personalized cards were popular. Now darn I try to avoid this shop, as much as I LOVE all the products, my wallet doesn't, hehe. I have a habit of buying every single thing. Lets talk about this recent visit, I only need 3 item which is mentaiko to make mentaiko pasta, bread to make garlic bread and natto since I needed a natto fix. I had to get out there quick and try not to stop at every section, hehe. Ended getting extra stuff but all good, I was happy with the extra goodies! Don Quijote does get crazy with parking, lines, feeling of clutter here but despite that I LOVE shopping here & the prices are low, if you can catch it on sale, even better! For someone that hasn't been to Japan, I am grateful that I can stock up on my Japanese products here. Also, I love that they have different fairs/theme every month, they carry products from specific city in Japan and even have samples too.

    Donki is not a store. It is a side-quest…read more After dinner one evening, my twinsie, "Auntie" Nadine C., turned to me, whispering almost conspiratory, "Have you heard about Don Quijote?" Don Quixote? The titular protagonist of Miguel de Cervantes' 17th-century Spanish novel, often considered the first modern novel? No, not him. Side-quest unlocked: Go to Don Quijote to looks at Trader Joe's-like bags and peruse affordable macadamia nuts. Imagine if a Japanese convenience store, Costco, Walmart, Japanese pop culture, and a late-night snack gremlin all moved into one building and decided to co-habilitate. That's Don Quijote, or as locals lovingly know it: Donki. Don Quijote is Japanese discount megastore in Honolulu where you walk in for one bottle of water and somehow leave an hour later with Japanese cheesecake, body wash, a rice cooker, novelty socks, a plush penguin, Spam musubi, an ankle brace, and at least one item that made you say, "Well, I've never seen that before." Every aisle is an adventure. It's part grocery store, part pharmacy, part souvenir shop, part beauty supply, part snack paradise, and part "why are they selling this and why do I suddenly need it?" The shelves are packed to the ceiling, the signage is loud, the deals are good, and the whole place feels like a treasure hunt designed by someone who drank three Red Bull Kyoho Grapes and said, "More products! More fun! No empty shelf space!" The Honolulu location is also gloriously open 24 hours, which means it serves a very specific and beautiful type of chaos: jet-lagged tourists like myself, night owls craving Japanese curry, and people making questionable but spiritually necessary 1:11 a.m. purchases. TL;DR, Don Quijote is less of a store and more of an experience. A slightly overwhelming and delightfully unhinged retail adventure.

    Photos
    Don Quijote - $15+ for 5 otoro nigiri - yes, please!!! =)

    $15+ for 5 otoro nigiri - yes, please!!! =)

    Don Quijote - 100% Kona coffee prices have skyrocketed!

    100% Kona coffee prices have skyrocketed!

    Don Quijote - Don Q's on the beach

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    Don Q's on the beach

    The Scavenger’s Vault

    The Scavenger’s Vault

    4.4(8 reviews)
    0.5 miDowntown

    Fun and cute…read more.. That's what you hear me saying as I browsed through this cozy shop. Located in Marks Building I noticed this shop as I finished mailing a package and since i found metered street parking decided to give them a browse. As soon as I walked in and obviously seen it from outside is some Hello Kitty merchandise and decided that i had to give them a browse all very selected and not seen at many places is something that i browsed carefully. Of course not limited to Sanrio characters but some Disney and Pokémon as well. Lots of Funko Pops in the back wall all displayed with care i can see this shop is a collector's dream as i also notice some Pokémon Legos that I really wanted but no did not need making this shop a fun place to shop for that hard to find items. The staff here was nice as I browsed around with many of the items are collectors dream the prices actually are quite nice and with the Pokémon Championship coming into town places like this is a gem and a great place to shop at and many must scavenge around here as I can see why. Thank you!

    More and more Funkos!! This craze is never ending, especially with Marvel/Disney pumping out…read moreanything and everything. You see Funkos everywhere, but there's only a few places where you can buy and sell, and this store might be the only ones that carry brand new Funkos as well. Let's welcome a new store to Hawaii that keeps us adults young at heart, The Scavenger's Vault. I first saw this store when I went to Mei Sum across the street as I saw a wall of Funkos through the clear glass. I had no idea what exactly it was, but someone posted about this store, and I was there the next day! The Scavenger's Vault is a small Funko specialty store that really has a wide variety of items that are brand new, hard to find, and probably some secondhand. You won't know it because ALLLLL the Funkos are specially encased in a quality plastic case with the store's name imprinted on top. Immediately there, you can see the care and pride the owners take for their items. Everything was super organized, clean, and easy to see. All the prices are very fair. Better than other places. And the variety is better! Better than the "other" store 5 minutes away. I seriously never bought anything from that store after several visits, but on my first visit to The Scavenger's Vault, I bought something! The owners are very friendly and nice, and kindly explained to me their business. They also have a stall at the Aloha Stadium swap meet and participate in various events. Overall, this store is awesome. Owners are great, and take pride and care for their Funkos. I really want to go again, but I do need to cut back on this stuff lol.

    Photos
    The Scavenger’s Vault
    The Scavenger’s Vault
    The Scavenger’s Vault

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    Marukai Wholesale Mart - Shishamo

    Marukai Wholesale Mart

    4.0(404 reviews)
    1.6 miKalihi
    $$

    Marukai is that spot where you can find products from Japan that aren't mainstream, but are…read moreabsolutely delicious. I enjoy the seafood and the meats are absolutely prime cuts. I haven't tried their hot and ready foods, but the foods that we get to cook with are top notch in quality and value. Hubs is one of those guys who will drive the cart and add what he sees and wants to try, so when I just need one or two things, I leave him home. What can I say, sometimes willy nilly shopping can get expensive! The staff are all friendly and helpful and they have spotlighted areas in Japan which rotate regularly. If you want to know what area they are spotlighting, I suggest getting on the digital mailer so you can see the sales and specials. If you are a fan of wagyu and kurobota pork, this is your spot. When I make sweet and sour spare ribs, this is the only place that I can find the ribs cut long way (makes for more meat and easier eating). If you are a fan of hot pot, they have soups ready to go. They also have veggies and noodles premade and all the cuts of meat for that shabu shabu experience. The construction on the rail makes the entrance a little tricky depending on what side of the island you are coming from, just know there is a back entrance behind the gas station.

    This store has a lot of products, food, and drinks to choose from. So much great food and…read moredrinks...my goodness! The hot foods and cold foods like the sushi...amazing! I really enjoy the hot food line they have. Everyday there's different dishes they have you can purchase for plate lunches. The store is pretty clean. The only thing is that the store needs to have the floor fixed and redone. The floor has cracks all over the store. Plus the floors are uneven. If you leave your shopping cart unattended, you may see your cart rolling off in different directions due to the uneven floor. The staff is friendly and helpful.

    Photos
    Marukai Wholesale Mart - Dinner at home. Thanks Marukai! :)

    Dinner at home. Thanks Marukai! :)

    Marukai Wholesale Mart - Giving this Chicken Karaage Musubi a try.

    Giving this Chicken Karaage Musubi a try.

    Marukai Wholesale Mart - Close up of fly trap right by deli and take out bentos. Ughhhh.

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    Close up of fly trap right by deli and take out bentos. Ughhhh.

    Daiso

    Daiso

    3.9(38 reviews)
    0.6 miDowntown
    $

    I went to this Daiso location because the one on Piikoi is being renovated…read more Before going there I called the store to ask about parking. They were very helpful, pleasant and patient. They told me to park in the Pantheon Garage, same building as the store as well as other businesses. Address for the Pantheon Garage is 71 South Pauahi St. The entrance is located off Pauahi Street, a side street. Guest parking is available on the first floor only. You turn into a narrow lane and there is directions and a card scanner on the left side of the wall. You need to scan your credit card to enter the garage. When I scanned my card it said $10. It doesn't give you a parking ticket but make sure you know the license plate number for your car. Downside, parking is limited and stalls are narrow. Once you park, look for the corridor which brings you out onto Fort Street Mall. Exit, turn right and right again then you will see Daiso. A security guard is stationed in and around the garage at all times. After you make your purchase at Daiso, be sure to let them know you parked in the Pantheon Garage and give them your license number. You will be refunded for your parking payment. The charge will show up as pending but after a day or two it will be refunded. To exit the garage, just drive up to the gate and it will automatically open.

    The downtown Honolulu location on Hotel Street is convenient (just a block from Fort Street Mall)…read moreso it's easy to stop by while running errands. I found the store bright, clean, well organized, and packed with a surprising variety of Japanese designed items. It's not a huge store, but they manage to fit a lot inside. Overall, the experience feels like a bit of a treasure hunt. You can find useful office supplies, household items, toys, and small gifts at reasonable prices, and sometimes you're pleasantly surprised by the quality. The staff was friendly and helpful, and the store itself is well maintained.

    Photos
    Daiso
    Daiso - Front entrance

    Front entrance

    Daiso - Fishing supplies

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    Fishing supplies

    Better Than Retail - discountstore - Updated May 2026

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