TRADEWINDS MARKET & DELLI

Tradewinds Market & Deli located at the Maalaea harbor is a real treat, it is definitely a throw back to the old mom and pop days, where you can find friendly locals and visitors buying sandwiches, sodas, ice cream, chips, sundries, ice cold beer, and favorite liquors.

Growing up in Lahaina, I can still remember going to the Yamamoto Store for hamburgers and shaved ice, and Sunset Freeze, before Burger King, it was Sunset Freeze. Whenever  I'm in Maalaea, or on the way to Kihei, stopping be Tradewinds is a treat indeed, sure, you can get all the stuff they sell at the ABC Store, or the Whaler's General, but this is a true local kind of place, you don't go in to buy a six pack of beer, you go in because it is small, and friendly, and you know that the dollar you spend stays here. The sandwiches are freshly made, kids that go fishing off the docks stop by for treats, hungry fishermen stop by for the beer and pupus, this my friends, is a real mom and pop kind of place. One day I walked through the shopping area of the Ocean Center which is next to the harbor, I was debating, "Should I get an Itoen Cappucino from Whaler's General, or Tradewinds?" My mind was made up, I walked across the street and headed a few yards to Tradewinds and got myself 2 Itoen Cappucinos, and 1 Melon Melona which was cold and perfect because June is here, and the heat is on. Sometimes I sit and watch as the customers go into Tradewinds, they are all relaxed, calm, men and boys in t-shirts, shorts, and slippahz. Women and girls in their casuals with designer shades on, suntanned and shiny, looking for something cool to eat and drink. Tradewinds Market and Deli is so local, and family oriented, the cashier can be seen watching her favorite t.v. show on a small monitor, on this day, I shared the last seconds of game 2 of the NHL Finals, of course won by the Flyers over the Blackhawks. Can't get any better than this- Tradewinds is one of my favorite mom and pops, even if it's not a mom and pop by someone else's standards, it does have that feel.