If you're looking for a Kailua music store, look no further than Coconut Grove Music!…read more Located right across the street from Bob's Sports Bar, above Lanikai Brewing Company, Coconut Grove Music is the go-to place for your stringed instrument needs. Whether you need a tuner, new strings, or guitar picks or are looking for a new or used instrument and don't want to travel into town, this is the place to stop by. Street parking is available, or you can park in any of their free, assigned stalls in the small parking lot next to the building. The entrance to the parking lot is a little narrow and can be easily missed, but there is a mini food truck close to the entrance, which might help you find out how to get in. To get upstairs, take the stairs facing the street to the second floor and walk straight towards the end through the brown door. Their old location used to be through the brown door on the bottom floor that took you upstairs, but they are now in the last brown door on the second floor. I will say that some of their items are priced a little more than a big box store like Guitar Center. Then again, if you think about it, if you're already in Kailua, you probably wouldn't want to drive to Pearl Highland or even to town at Easy Music Center to pick up some new strings. Shout out to them for having the Elixir Phosphor Bronze 11|52 acoustic guitar strings and a couple of the Herco guitar picks!

I (and my 9 year old daughter) have been getting guitar and ukulele lessons from Harry Koizumi…read morehere. Great location and Harry is very knowledgeable and great with kids. Also purchased gear here and Rick has been super helpful with my questions.

Heather Pescht is a master of her craft, both as a musician and as a teacher! Heather has been our…read morefamily piano teacher for nearly 8 years, teaching three of our children. Our youngest daughter continues to benefit from her fine instruction! While patient and kind, she sets a high standard for students' musical achievement and is very effective motivating them to practice and achieve. She combines weekly lessons with semi-annual recitals that enable her students to develop not only musical skills, but also the self-confidence, poise, and maturity to perform before an audience. Her rates have always been very reasonalbe for the outstanding, personalized lesson that she consistently delivers. Each lesson lasts at least as long as its published duration and she is very flexible and easy to work with when scheduling conflicts arise. As our children have matured and need letters of recommendation, she has generously given of her time to support. We feel very blessed to have Heather as our family piano teacher and give her our strongest, unqualified recommedation!!

From the owner: Women and locally owned 40 years professional piano instructor. read more

I have always wanted to learn how to play the ukulele. When i was a kid, Roy Sakuma was the gold…read morestandard for ukulele lessons, and a few of my friends actually took lessons from Mr. Sakuma. While my parents supported my music aspirations by signing me up for piano, chorus, dance, and clarinet (total geek I know) lessons, adding one more instrument was too much. For the past few years, every time I'd return home I'd go to different ukulele stores, try a few and give up. Too many options, not the right time, or too much to carry back was always my excuse for not buying a ukulele. Visiting Kanile'a Ukulele in Windward Mall, felt different. The huge store was empty and one sales person was at the register. He was a no pressure sales and just so nice. He played the ukulele so effortlessly, natural, and I was SOLD! Since I had never owned or played the ukulele I was thinking of getting just a starter uke ($150-$200/ea). But the wood and manufacturing was in China. That did not feel too authentic. On the other end of the spectrum is all Hawaii made with local wood (koa) at $3000 and up. That seemed too expensive for a beginner ukulele. I ended up with koa wood locally sourced, and the ukulele made in China but verified for quality standards in Hawaii. ($800-$1000). The ukulele comes with a standard case. I ended up liking the custom Kanile'a case because it's waterproof, sturdier, and had a K logo. I also got the moisture control packs that sit in the case to maintain proper moisture levels (not too humid/ dry). And finally I got a tuner. I cant wait to bring this piece of home back with me to the mainland. I have already taken an online class and loved it! I'm so glad I visited Kanile'a! Start to finish the experience was superb! Highly recommended! LOCATION: 4/5 SERVICE: 5/5 VALUE: 4/5 AMBIANCE: 4/5 PET FRIENDLY: yes CLEANLINESS: 4/5 PARKING: 5/5

This store was great and the staff was particularly amazing! I visited last month with 2 young kids…read morewith em, just trying to find my dream Ukulele. Originally just window shopping, but after meeting the helpful staff and getting to see how amazing the Ukulele's they make are, I am now saving up for one of the Ukes from this store. They were so patient with me and never made me feel bad when I was not able to buy the uke that day, or because my kids were running around. Mahalo!

Music Center of Hawaii is very small but the amount of instruments and service far exceeds their…read moreshop size. They are one of the only shops that repairs saxophones, violins, and standup bass's. They have a huge selection of violins, flutes, saxophones just to name a few. The staff is absolutely top notch any thing you need for your bowed instrument is there.

Best experience I've ever had in a music store. My son was freaking out because his saxophone…read moreneeded some repairs, and the employees did an amazing job helping me a getting his saxophone up to par. they were extremely knowledgeable and knew exactly what they were talking about and helped me find exactly what I needed. We will definitely be back and be doing all of our music store needs right here.

Unacceptable Service & Zero Priority I am beyond frustrated…read morewith the service I received today, and I ended up walking out. My wife, my two kids, and I walked into this establishment around 4:35 PM on March 25th. We were greeted at the front by Ted, who told us he'd be over to help us "real soon" and instructed us to head back to the electronic drums. Couple other staff asked if we needed help which we did, and was told they couldn't really help us because they weren't the 'drum guy' and to wait for Ted. We waited. For 25 to 30 minutes. When Ted finally decided to show up, he gave us maybe five minutes of his time. Instead of actually helping us make a decision, he left us with more questions than answers. He told us he'd be "right back," and then disappeared for another 10 minutes. From where I was standing, I could see him at the front of the store helping people who walked in long after we did. The breaking point was when he finally came back to our area...but not to help us. He started assisting another person who had just arrived. At that point, I was losing my cool. He knew we had been waiting patiently for a long time, yet he continued to treat us like we weren't a priority. Once he finally finished with the latecomers, I had to confront him with the facts. I told him exactly how long we'd been sitting there while he ignored us for newer customers. Instead of offering a solution or taking accountability, he just hit me with excuses. Then, he actually had the nerve to ask if I had "more questions." I told him flat out: I was ready to check out 30 minutes ago, but he left us hanging high and dry. I was literally about to tell him which set we were buying, but after that experience, I decided right then and there that we wouldn't be supporting this business. We walked out. Bottom line: You need to get your priorities straight. UPDATE: I'm updating my previous 1-star review to 5 stars because of one person... Senior Manager Anju (I hope I spelled that correctly). After that initial visit yesterday which left us feeling disregarded and unimportant... Anju reached out to me personally to make it right during our phone call. It takes a true leader to own up to a mistake and honestly she did so with such grace. Took full accountability for her store and them some. When we returned today, we weren't just 'customers' we were felt like actual guests. Anju provided the kind of high-touch and personalized support that made the store feel more like a community. She was patient, informative, answered all my questions and incredibly kind to our 5-year-old. She made sure we walked out happy and we left with the perfect Roland TD-07DMK Electronic Drum Kit and a matching V-Drum Amp. I felt Anju made it her mission to make sure every detail was handled perfectly so we could focus on the excitement of our daughter's musical journey instead of the issues we faced previously. It's easy to be a good store when things go right, but how you handle things when they go wrong is the true test... Anju passed with flying colors. From here on out we'll be supporting this business under her leadership. Mahalo for turning this around for our family!

They have such an extensive variety of musical instruments! I went on a Black Friday sale day but…read moreI still received top notch customer service. I was never forgotten and was constantly being asked if I "needed anything" while I tried out a new guitar that I purchased that morning. Prices seem comparable to other local music stores. I almost forgot to mention that their website provided me with much more information about the guitar that I was looking at than I could find on my own via Google! I should've started my research there first!

Jimmy taught all 3 of my kids and me, too! He is a consummate professional teacher, with many years…read moreexperience, great musical, and teaching ability, but also lots of patience and desire to impart his love of music to his students.

Jimmy is a very dedicated, knowledgeable, and supportive music teacher. Over the years we have had…read morea number of music teachers for our kids. Jimmy has been the best by far. He really goes out of his way to make it interesting and fun for his students. With Jimmy's help our daughter was able to get into both the Berklee College of Music and the Clive Davis Music Institute at NYU. Thank you so much Jimmy!

Kailua Music School has been incredible for my teenage daughter. She takes both band and solo…read morelessons here, and the opportunities they provide are unmatched. The school regularly organizes performances across the island--from local venues to community events--giving students real-world experience that's boosted her confidence immensely. What stands out most is the sense of community. My daughter has formed meaningful friendships with peers who share her passion, bonding through rehearsals and performances. The owners clearly pour their hearts into creating these opportunities, and their dedication shows in how much the students grow. If you want a music program that goes beyond lessons and fosters creativity, connection, and stage skills, Kailua Music School is the place. Highly recommend!

My 7 year old went to KMS's Spring Break Theater Camp and had SO much fun! The teacher brought…read moregreat energy to the experience and encouraged each kid to develop their own unique talents. This was my son's first exposure to performing, and now he can't wait to attend the Summer Theater Camp too!

Professional Speech Therapist! Ms. Trissa really knows her stuff. She is Voice Certified and HIPAA…read morecompliant. And she helped me get my next gig. I feel more confident because she taught me the nuances of my voice and used models of the larynx to explain. If you want to speak well or sing we'll go to her! Highly recommended: 5 stars!!!

Besides being in Manoa they also have a location on Waialae Iki. Not a fan of people waiting in the…read morecar, smoking/vaping outside, people changing kids diapers, car doors open wide into the street, feet outside the window,etc. such a terrible look. Wish they held their private lessons elsewhere and not in a residential neighborhood where customers camp out til their child is done. That street needs HOA.

I kind of knew Manoa School of Music was located at the Manoa Marketplace. I had seen signs and…read morepassed by countless times on my trips to neighboring businesses. I never paid much attention, however, until recently, when one of my daughters expressed an interest in learning to play the violin. A quick internet search led me to their web page which provided some basic information. More useful and current information came via email with the owner Carolyn Stanton. She answered all of my questions promptly and professionally and we were registered and ready to go with violin lessons in no time. Erika is our daughter's teacher. Our daughter has no violin experience, and Erika has been very kind, encouraging and patient. After each lesson, she reviews with us how the lesson went (what went well, what was practiced, etc.) She also gives us guidance for what to practice at home until the next lesson. The school offers numerous musical classes - strings, piano, voice, guitar, ukulele, etc. Their brochure also indicates they offer visual arts classes and cooking classes. Who knew? Super convenient location (Manoa Marketplace). Lots of parking and lots to do while you're waiting for your budding musical virtuoso.