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TJ Variety Store

4.6 (40 reviews)
Open • 8:00 am - 7:30 pm
Updated 2 months ago

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Brian O.

Halo-Halo was delicious! Thanks again! My wife found this little hole in the wall place with a huge amount of filipino goodies!

Halo halo
Emily S.

Looked for an authentic place to get Halo Halo a Filipino dessert and this is was recommended by a local Hawaiian. We love that they had Filipino snacks for sale and it was nicely organized. The staff was friendly and we will definitely return. The halo halo was able to be custom made with the add ons of coconut, flan, sweet beans, Ube ice cream and milk.

a truck parked in front of the store
Diane S.

Stop.in for a halo halo! They had their 8/9year old.son running the register, he was so cute! This is a wholesale.storez but had a few items if you need or are searching..for Asian food items.

Best halohalo eveeeeeer..best bang for your buck
Klemens T.

Came here for the first time because my wife was craving for halohalo waaaay past dinner. We got 2 halohalos and I must say that they probably do have the best halohalo that I've ever had in my life. They packed this cup to the top with ube ice cream, shave ice, great portion of fruits with actual texture and not mushy. I personally would prefer it a bit sweeter like Magnolias, but when you mix everything together, it's perfectly balanced. The ice to fruit ratio is crazy and there's some kinda ube jam along the cup. I don't know, but if you love halohalo like we do, you would love this place. They also have a large selection of Filipino snacks, drinks, and some frozen foods to buy. Overall, best halohalo value for the amount you pay and the cup is stuffed. The staff are friendly and helpful. There are 2 tables to sit at. The parking lot is huge. We came at night so it was kinda hard to see where exactly that I was, but it was pretty shady at night lol. As we pulled into the parking lot, it was pitch black and my headlights shined right on some shady-looking group of guys sitting on the ground in between their cars like they were gambling in a circle in the dark. This place is definitely hard to see so use your gps. You can't really see it from the main road because it's a little shop at the corner of a large warehouse.

Halo halo
Crystal A.

Stopped by on a day trip to Kauai to visit my parents. Mom suggested we come here for the halo halo. The store is clean and shelves/refrigerators were organized. We ordered two halo halos and they made it so quick and it was huge for the price I paid. It was filled with lots of good stuff and my fave, lanka (jack fruit), which some places don't usually put. They also have boba drinks. I'll definitely stop by again on my next visit to Kauai.

Halo Halo

The halo halo was so good that we went there again the next day. The owner remembers us. She was very friendly. Cute little place to get snacks and groceries.

Frozen desserts. More frozen groceries are in another freezer.
Michael M.

TJ's Variety won't match the major Asian grocers like Seafood City or 99 Ranch, but for a mom & pop store, this place packs a pretty good punch. You'll find Staples of Filipino groceries: Pampanga's Finest frozen meats, Goldilock's desserts, Menlo and Amor Nino lumpia wrappers, Star butter, Milo, various brands of Patis, and tons of snacks. There's also an impressive cosmetics section with Eskinol, placenta creams, and much more. I always come for the fresh produce (fresh green papaya, ready for tinola!) and the bubble tea. They're open until 8:30, which is convenient. The owners are really friendly to boot.

Halo halo
Jenny B.

Random little store. Didn't know they even sold halo halo (no menu or anything) other than seeing the reviews from my fellow yelpers. Glad I got one as I forgot how much I loved halo halo until I got one here. So good and so pretty!

Halo-Halo
Lauren S.

Made a point to stop in again while visiting the island. Halo Halo still just as huge, delicious and very reasonably priced. Chatted a bit with the very kind cashier who offered suggestions on what Filipino snacks to buy. Patronize this small local business- you will be happy you stopped by for the experience and delicious treats!

Ash S.

Love the halo halo here, absolutely massive and full of ingredients it's about $7 for a giant cup

Halo-Halo
Teresa D.

Best halo-halo ever!!! Directions will take you to the street next to it, but it is next to Enterprise Rental and near KFC. A must stop in Lihue

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11 months ago

The people were very welcoming and they have great customer service and have the best taro boba in Hawaii.

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7 years ago

Best halo halo on the island. A little pricey on there products. Some of which can't be found anywhere else on island.

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7 years ago

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9 years ago

Not much to find regarding Filipino grocery items and a little on the high price but they do have great halo-halo.

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Review Highlights - TJ Variety Store

“Didn't know they even sold halo halo (no menu or anything) other than seeing the reviews from my fellow yelpers.”

Mentioned in 21 reviews

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Ben Franklin Crafts - raffia

Ben Franklin Crafts

4.2(5 reviews)
1.0 mi
•$$$

The first thing to know about this place is that it's in a strange spot. It shares space with an…read moreAce Hardware store, and from the outside it looks much more like a hardware store much more than a crafts store. This isn't as well-stocked as a decent arts and crafts stores on the mainland. But it's not on the mainland, is it? And mail order to Kauai takes forever. It's great to have your crafts goodies right away. My four-year-old had an assignment to do while we were away on Kauai: hand-made Valentine's cards for his preschool classmates, due the day after we returned home. We visited the store and got a package of nice pink construction paper, a scissors (since we didn't think to bring one), and an assortment of Valentine-themed stickers. I had my own craft project: replacing the cord that kept my wife's hat from blowing off her head. I got some decorative cord that made the hat look cooler than it had before the old cord started falling to pieces, and a sewing kit so I could do the repairs. (The kit's scissors was useless, but my boy's scissors did the job.) My wife needed something here too: fountain pen ink. She didn't find the really fancy stuff she likes to write with, but they had a nice selection of colors of a more commonplace brand. I kind of like the idea of a craft store sharing space with a hardware store. After all, some crafts use hardware store types of products. Carpentry is a craft, for example, and one can build a painter's from hardware store lumber. The people here were friendly, and seemed familiar with both the crafts and the hardware sides of the store. This is definitely the best arts and crafts supply store on the island, but competition is thin. The only other arts and crafts place on the island that I could find with a web search was actually a framing store, and doesn't even sell frames, except with its framing services. Fortunately, although this store has no arts and crafts competition other than really slow mail order, it doesn't rest on its monopoly status. Prices are decent, the range of products for office is decent, and it has good employees.

Google a place on Kauai and you may find yourself on a wild goose chase (like the couple I ran into…read moreonce looking for the TCBY that had closed two years prior). Finding myself in need of some basic craft supplies in town one day I pulled up the address for Ben Franklin. Easy enough, I thought. Fifteen minutes, three turnarounds, and one trip down to Kalapaki later I felt foolish and chalked up my empty-handedness to Ben Franklin's not existing any more. A friend laughed at me a few days later. "It's IN the Ace Hardware!" she said, between laughs. Sure enough, as you pass the Ace Hardware on Rice Street there's additional wording "and Crafts" in the familiar Ben Franklin font. The store itself is strangely divided in two. To the left: crafts. Right: hardware. Venture across a main aisle and you're all too aware that you won't find any rubber stamps amidst the metal tubing. But maybe the metal tubing could find a place in a craft project...? The Ben Franklin side of the store stocks a selection of artificial flowers, lei-making supplies (thread, yarns, how-to books) front and center, paints, beads, and other craft miscellany I thought I'd left behind on the mainland. Besides the leis, other local touches include Hawaiian-produced rubber stamps (a rubber stamp of a spam musubi, your name in Hawaiian as a rubber stamp), and more party decorating supplies then you can shake a stick at. Also on offer is a die-cutting machine for your individual use - the staff will gladly die cut small favor boxes or lettering on request - definitely a feature you won't see at any Michael's! For a craft supply store on Kauai, I was actually impressed at the stock at Ben Franklin. I missed the Martha Stewart section, but it definitely rivals Michael's and AC Moore in variety any day. The staff is helpful and there are regular demos and classes to sign up for. While prices aren't rock-bottom I found a 40% coupon (for a single item) in the newspaper ad, which helps. Just make sure you're looking for the Ace Hardware when you go to find Ben Franklin Crafts.

The Koa Store

The Koa Store

4.8(39 reviews)
0.6 mi
•$$$

My partner and I named our Australian Shepherd puppy, Koa, after the wood, and the meaning "brave",…read moreso I knew when we visited Kauai we had to get a piece of Koa jewelry. We came to the Koa store on the second to last day of our trip, after searching the rest of the island for the perfect koa tungsten ring. The Koa Store had half sizes in their rings, which made for a better fit, and were very reasonably priced. Our $30 rings were $70-270 in other spots on the island, and the rings at the Koa store were much nicer and higher in quality. They had a variety of different items, and our cousins got some nice Koa bangles that we couldn't find anywhere else on the island. The lady working at the shop was very nice and helpful, and explained the materials to us. It's too bad they don't ship to the mainland, because I'd be a repeat, and frequent customer. Check out the Koa Store before settling on any other Koa products.

10/18/23 Still on the hunt for our sign for having guests leave their shoes before entering our…read moreabode...and I thought this place would have it. Nope. We've passed by this shop over a few dozen times over the years & decided to give it a go. The items are handmade from the Koa tree that is found in Hawaii. There are pens, jewelry, bags/purses, wallets, key chains, cutlery, ornaments, vases, kitchen items & other curious artwork displayed for sale. Candace was manning the shop & she was so friendly & welcoming. She even suggested a lady who might be able to create what we're looking for. This lady works from home & has a website (Tropical Isle Music). I love to support local businesses & Candace was so charming, I bought a couple of Aloha Hula girl ornaments & a pineapple (see photo) ornament. There's a few spaces for parking that it shares with Mankoa & a granola shack. It was lovely speaking with Candace, who I learned is actually half Filipino & half Japanese, born & raised in Kaua'i. Her grandfather was one of the first Filipinos who arrived from the Philippines to work in the plantations in Hawaii. It's always interesting to learn about people & their heritage. I'm very pleased with the experience & my purchases at this shop

Photos
The Koa Store - 10/18/23 These are just the cutest ornaments!

10/18/23 These are just the cutest ornaments!

The Koa Store - 10/18/23 Let's see what's in store....

10/18/23 Let's see what's in store....

The Koa Store - Exterior

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Exterior

TJ Variety Store - grocery - Updated October 2026

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