Yes, we can spot the iconic Reyn Spooner reverse print cotton shirts worn by downtown workers,…read moreincluding my hubby before he retired. What's so special about these shirts?
Reyn Spooner is a fashion design company founded in 1956 by Reyn McCullough and Ruth Spooner, whose names make up the company name. Reyn resided on Catalina Island, CA and met Don Graham of the Dillingham Corp, the developer of the Ala Moana Shopping Center in 1956. He moved to Honolulu in 1959 and opened a retail store in that shopping center. In 1962, Reyn teamed up with Ruth Spooner to create Reyn Spooner in Honolulu and currently has 7 retail stores in HI and also sells apparel in department stores in the US and abroad. Design work is done in HI and sewn in Asia.
Reyn felt the traditional aloha shirt had a too bold print and improved it by combining the reverse or inside-out print with his own eye for more sophisticated prints and paired them with a classic tailoring of an oxford cloth shirt. It was called "Spooner Kloth," which was a blend of cotton and spun polyester that's amazingly durable, wrinkle free, and breathable. This iconic shirt became the Aloha shirt that is worn around the world.
While working, my hubby's favorite shirts were Reyn Spooner reverse print cotton shirts. He thought they were nice designs, were well made, as they were meticulously sewn and lasted a number of years before you could notice it fading in certain areas. Seams were perfectly double-sewn in straight lines. An extra button was sewn on the underside to allow for lost buttons.
As these shirts were pricey, my hubby would show up at their periodic warehouse sales, as their shirts were heavily discounted due to discontinuance of styles. It didn't matter to him, as a Reyn Spooner shirt never goes out of style. And so what if you got last year's Christmas shirt, as even if the year is subtly printed on the fabric, no one will notice. And he specifically looked for shades of blue and black to match with his slacks. So, can't complain about the high prices of these shirts, as they match the quality for what you get. Yes, looking dashing and huge savings when purchased at these warehouse sales!
Things have changed over the years. A Reyn Spooner discount store has been set up at the Waikele Premium Outlets. Warehouse sales are no longer held, as this discount store is used to further discount their items, oftentimes at 25% lower than the discounted price, at certain times of the year. Staff notes that prices are similar to those of the former warehouse sales.
The discount store is huge and spacious! There are racks of clothing for all family members that Reyn's are known for: terminated prints, local and national sports teams, Christmas prints, pandas, Snoopy, University of HI, and many more. There was clothing for the kids, women, men; straw and fabric hats; plush teddy bears; slacks; t-shirts; collared shirts; swim shorts; hydro flasks; and others. This is a far cry than the small, cramped warehouse sales from years before.
The Waikele store is located next to Famous Footwear and on the right side of the Information Center. Hours of operation are Mon to Thurs 10a to 7p, Fri/Sat 10a to 8p, Sun 11a to 6p. Check the hours during the periodic sales, as they open an hour earlier; however, the parking spaces are blocked until regular starting hours to prevent Waikele store employees from parking in them.
The Reyn Spooner store at Waikele Outlets is a godsend, as you can get immediate discounts right away. And if you wait for those periodic sales, you'll get further discounts! So glad that my hubby retired, as he no longer needs these shirts, other than for the occasional ones he needs for attending a funeral or celebration. After all these years, Reyn Spooner is still is favorite!
