Honolulu Weekly

TIN CAN MAILMAN / A recent addition to Chinatown’s collection of locally owned small businesses is Tin Can Mailman, a smallish shop on Nuuanu Avenue. The store, which houses a gold mine of classic Hawaiiana, is a recent transplant from the sleepy town of Kapaa on Kauai. Part-owner Christopher Oswalt ran the Kauai location for about nine years before making the big move to Honolulu.

About a month ago, the team brought the operation here, shedding what was once a focus on used book offerings in order to concentrate on selling an impressive collection of jewelry, art, vintage clothing, first-edition autographed or otherwise rare collectible books and a number of other items. A big proponent of locally run businesses, Oswalt champions a sort of pay-it-forward attitude.

“All your little stores,” he says. “Everyone needs to be shopping them right now.”

Oswalt seems overjoyed to have relocated to Honolulu, and cites an appreciation for the shift he’s seen in customer demographic from tourist-centric to mainly local residents.

As customers wander through the small space, many have the same awe-struck reactions about the merchandise. One woman, a return shopper, enthusiastically points out some of her favorite items in the back room. Two keen younger ladies asked eagerly about plateware, jewelry and even potential employment, while an older gentleman marveled at the vintage book selection.

Oswalt hunts his merchandise down from a variety of locations–he says much of it comes from the mainland, including most of his well-preserved Hawaiiana. Indeed, one of the store’s crown jewels is the impressive collection of Hawaii-related ephemera including old ads, calendars, brochures, stationary and sheet music. The shop keeper has obviously put some work into his way of purveying.

Giving gifts from local stores is like gifting twice–to the gift receiver and to the community itself. And if you’re aiming for uniqueness and quality, Tin Can Mailman has options a’plenty.