Gate-side at KOA, Hawaiian Music Store is near Main Terminal departures
This small shop sits in the open-air Main Terminal area at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport (KOA), on the departures side after check-in. It focuses almost entirely on local music and Hawaiian-themed media, so think CDs, a few vinyl titles, and souvenir songbooks rather than generic travel gadgets. Prices skew souvenir-level rather than bargain-bin; expect CDs in the $15–$25 range. Stock tilts heavily toward island artists and slack-key guitar compilations you don’t usually see in mainland airports.
Hours roughly track Main Terminal flight banks, with the store typically opening by the morning departures and closing after the last evening flights, though KOA’s schedule can shift with seasonal service. You’ll find Hawaiian Music Store along the same open-air concourse that serves the inter-island and mainland gates, so you stay post-security once you’re past TSA. It’s an easy stop if you’re early for a flight to Honolulu or a mainland hub like LAX.
If you want something more specific than a “Hawaii” T‑shirt, this is one of the few KOA spots focused on local culture over logo gear. Look for compilations from classic slack-key artists, ukulele instructional books, and occasional DVDs that feature Big Island performances. You won’t see much under $10, but it’s still a straightforward last-minute gift run before boarding from the Main Terminal gate clusters.
Practical play: snap a photo of album covers you like and stream them later, then buy just one or two physical items here so your carry-on still fits under the seat on that Kona–Honolulu or Kona–Seattle leg.