Hawaii General Store Owner Seeks Successor After Reversing Closure Plan

Gail Stringer is searching for a new owner for the Hawaii General Store in Seattle's Wallingford neighborhood after deciding to keep the business open. Earlier this month, the owner announced the shop would close permanently, but she reversed that decision to find a successor for the operation that has served the region for nearly three decades.

The reversal came after Stringer received feedback from supporters who described the store as a vital cultural anchor. The shop stocks traditional Hawaiian snacks, including crack seed, and fresh lei, which are necklaces made of flowers. Stringer noted that many employees had invested significant personal effort into the location, prompting her to look for a way to sustain the business for the community rather than shutting it down.

Stringer grew up on Oahu and moved to Seattle after college, citing the city's landscape as a reminder of home. She opened the store in 1998, a time when it was one of few Seattle locations carrying the Northwest Hawai'i Times newspaper. The publication served the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander population in the northwest. For Stringer, the store functioned less as a retail outlet and more as a gathering place for people who missed Hawaii.

Over the past 30 years, the store has become a site for family milestones. Stringer said customers used the store's lei to celebrate births, weddings, and deaths across generations. The interior reflects the long history of the location, including a painting of the Ko'olau Mountains by her late father, an artist and architect, who worked on the back wall.

Rising operating costs and a shift toward online shopping have made it difficult to maintain the business's financial health. Stringer turned 60 this year and began evaluating her retirement income. She explained that small business owners often do not pay themselves well, and she skipped paychecks while raising children and managing the shop. She now intends to take a traditional job to ensure she can retire without working into her eighties.

Stringer stated that finding a willing buyer is the priority. She wants to ensure the store continues to operate for the community she has built over the last three decades. The search for a new owner is currently underway.