Greenwell Store

In the 1870s, Henry Nicholas Greenwell built this stone store of lava rock mortared with a mixture of burnt coral, sand, and water. It became the center of commerce for this mauka inland area and an important commercial outpost in the isolated but growing district of Kona, where stores and warehouses had previously been located at the coastal ports. The general merchandise store also served as the post office and meeting place, and residents and travelers of all ethnicities came to purchase and barter for food, farm equipment, household items, pharmaceuticals, and clothing, while also catching up on local gossip.

Kealakekua, Hawaii · United States