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Feature:

Island Bazaar

December 18, 2012

Island Bazaar - Huntington Beach, CA

Island Bazaar – Huntington Beach, CA

The Island Bazaar in Huntington Beach is truly an ukulele paradise. Opened for business in February 2002, the store has evolved from a simple consignment store into a music haven that celebrates all things ukulele.

As a long time Huntington Beach resident and shop owner, Shirley Orlando admits she just stumbled upon this niche market in the community. Orlando’s first business venture was the Huntington Music Store. Unable to survive alongside multi-national retail conglomerates, the store closed in 2001 after 25 years in business. “I was brokenhearted,” Orlando recalls. “I spent a year just singing the blues. I missed my music store and wished for the opportunity to start again.”

Island Bazaar's wall of ukulele and song books

Island Bazaar’s wall of ukulele and song books

Island Bazaar began as a tropical boutique selling furniture, trinkets, and a modest inventory of ukulele. Orlando noticed that the ukulele quickly grew to become the hottest ticket items in the store. Within three years, Island Bazaar ditched the consignment business model for one more focused.

With the store’s growing popularity, Orlando started teaching ukulele classes in 2005. Today, the Island Bazaar is home to six different groups that meet at its Huntington Beach location on a weekly basis. (see our calendar for details)

Shirley Orlando

Shirley Orlando with her C.F Martin & Co. Concert Style Ukulele

Orlando is reminiscent as she recalls the seed that planted this deeply rooted passion. In 1972, she inherited a C.F Martin & Co. Concert Style Ukulele from her late grandmother. She and her uke are inseparable. Orlando describes playing it as “infectious.”

She doesn’t play her beloved Martin on stage, however. That performance is accompanied by a $1,700 ukulele that was gifted to Orlando by KoAloha, acknowledging that “the Island Bazaar is the west coast mecca for all things ukulele.”

Visit the Island Bazaar for cases, tuners, stands, straps, amplifiers, metronomes, CDs & DVDs, nearly every known publication of ukulele song books, and (of course) some of the finest instruments crafted by world premier ukulele builders such as Kamaka, KoAloha, Kanile’a, Ohana, Lanikai, Kala, Kiwaya, and more.

Island Bazaar

instant cash advances

16582 Gothard Street
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
(714) 843-9350
www.facebook.com/ukuleleparadise
Click HERE for upcoming ukulele classes
 
 
 
 
 

 

by Heather 

About Heather

Heather is the creator of Heleloa.com, a directory of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander news, business, events and people throughout Southern California.

View all posts by Heather

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My name is Heather and “I’m just a little Hawaiian and a homesick island girl.” I am a proud and thankful mom; the daughter of an authentic Kodak hula dancer and an old school local longboarder; a sunshine enthusiast, a Titan, and a Trojan. READ MORE...

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