Our Aloha Story
Koana had her soft opening in August 2019.
She is a local Hawaiian specialty shop, located in the Mountain View Village, halfway point between Hilo and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Koana was thoughtfully designed and put together by my wife and I.
Back in 2017, as longtime coffee lovers, we began to seek out and gather a diverse selection of rare and award-winning coffees from local farms and roasters. For two years, we juggled our work schedules and parenthood in order to visit between Hawaii, Tokyo, and Taipei, to further educate ourselves in coffee.
We were thrilled to open our understanding for coffee and the cultures it fuels. In our mind, coffee is a comfort food.
The first step of recommending good coffee is to understand the people, in order to provide an impactful and personal coffee experience. We focus on talking story, it’s our way to exchange our aloha through our coffee stories.
As many may already know, to live on the Big Island, we have to be creative with our resources. So one day, we thought…why not make Koana a sit-specific space, a space that exhibits its history and journey.
In order to bring forth the rich history of Mountain View Village and its flavors, we built Koana’s indoor décor and outdoor seating area with mostly recycled materials and reclaimed wood from our neighborhood. We gathered them personally, piece by piece, and you would be surprised how much treasure (sometime junk) you could find around you.
We designed the indoor space as our living room to enjoy coffee in a positive vibe, and the outdoor seating area right at the old Mountain View Theater site. You could still see the slop in the seating area! We hope to see you often, talking coffee and exchanging wisdom.
After all, if we can survive and thrive under Covid, the least we deserve is a damn good cup of coffee. Simple happiness.
Aloha A Hui Hou~
Sincerely,
Brian and Jan.
Koana’s Core Values
Community
The heart of our coffee shop is community. We believe in creating a space where people feel a sense of belonging, where locals, visitors, and artists can come together and share experiences. Our mission is to cultivate relationships that extend beyond a cup of coffee—by fostering cultural enrichment, education, and shared experiences, we contribute to the growth of a strong, supportive network. Here, everyone is welcomed with open arms, and our space is designed to uplift and unite.
Equality
At KOANA, everyone is treated with fairness, respect, and care. It is our commitment to ensuring that all individuals—customers, employees, and collaborators—are given equal opportunities and respect. Whether it's the way we hire staff, engage with suppliers, or serve our customers, we strive to create an environment where all are valued equally. We believe that inclusiveness is fundamental to building a better, kinder world.
Sustainability
KOANA was born out of a commitment to sustainability, both environmentally and socially. Our approach to sustainability is through creativity: we see it as an opportunity to reimagine and rework materials and systems in beautiful and functional ways. Koana was built with upcycling and repurposing in mind, using as many locally sourced and recycled materials as possible. Our goal is to tread lightly on the earth while creating a beautiful and functional space. We also believe in sustaining the community—by supporting local farmers, businesses and artisans, we contribute to the resilience of the local economy. Our practices are grounded in long-term thinking: supporting the land, the people, and the cultural heritage that surrounds us.
Pono
Pono means doing what is right, in balance and harmony with others, nature, and oneself. At KOANA, every decision we make is guided by this principle, from opening in a remote town to help build a community, to supporting those who face adversity, to investing in farmland for future growth. When faced with difficult choices or taking on new challenges, especially during a global pandemic, we remain committed to doing what is right, every step has been taken with the intent to bring balance, fairness, and well-being both within our business and to the broader community we serve.
Aloha
At Koana, the spirit of Aloha is alive in every cup, every conversation, and every smile. Aloha means much more than a greeting—it’s a way of life that embraces love, compassion, and mutual respect. We embody this value by nurturing positive energy and by creating a space where everyone feels welcomed and appreciated. Aloha informs not just how we treat our customers, but how we approach life, work, and community.
Kind
Kindness is central to how we operate at KOANA. We aim to make every interaction—from how we treat our staff to how we serve our customers—rooted in compassion and empathy. We understand that people come to us not just for coffee but for a positive experience, a moment of respite, and a sense of connection. Our goal is to make everyone feel welcome and cared for, fostering an atmosphere where kindness is not just encouraged, but practiced every day. It’s about creating a space where people feel safe, valued, and uplifted.
Experience
KOANA isn’t just a place to get a cup of coffee—it’s an experience crafted with intention. Every detail, from the artful design of our space to the way we present our food and beverages, is thoughtfully considered. The shop itself was built as a site-specific installation, utilizing local and repurposed materials to create an immersive environment. Our goal is for every customer to leave feeling enriched, whether it’s through a meaningful conversation, enjoying local art, or simply the beauty and ambiance of the space. We want every visit to KOANA to be a memorable and positive experience.
Creativity
Creativity is at the heart of KOANA. The shop itself is a product of creative problem-solving, from its upcycled design to the way we navigate the challenges of running a business in a remote village. We believe that creativity extends beyond art—it’s a way of thinking and approaching every aspect of life and work. By embracing innovation, we find unique solutions to everyday problems, transforming limitations into opportunities. KOANA is a space where creativity flourishes, not only through the artwork we display but in the way we approach service, community-building, and sustainability.
Trust
Trust is essential to KOANA’s philosophy. We operate with transparency and integrity, making sure that our customers, employees, and partners know they can rely on us to be honest and fair. We believe that building trust starts with being open and real—practicing what we preach and avoiding anything inauthentic. By maintaining clear and open communication with our team and our customers, we foster an environment where trust can grow. This sense of mutual trust strengthens our relationships, creating a cohesive, supportive space for everyone who walks through our doors.
KOANA, we ensure that our coffee shop is not just a business but a beacon of community, creativity, kindness, and aloha.
