Lahaina Scrimshaw

Super cool shop, the guy there was very friendly and helpful. He knew about all the artists/​creators of the pieces which was also a big help. Some of the pieces are rather pricey but that’s across the board when it comes to the level of detail that you will see on most of the pieces in there, not to mention the time and effort that goes into them. You should definitely check it out if you’re in the area!

This business sells ivory and elephants are critically endangered. The store owners and artists ought to be ashamed. They are contributing to the extinction of elephants…35,000 were killed in 2013. The more you buy, the more elephants they kill. Don’t shop at this store.

Been a customer of Lahaina Scrimhaw for 10 years and both locations are very good. I like this location because of the great customer service and large selection of items. My only concern is shipping can take longer than most other places in Maui ask for Priority Shipping.
Note to the people who say that they are supporting the «killers» of whales and other species: they buy these tusks and other parts 100’s and 1000’s of years after they have died. This is better for the environment because they are reusing these parts instead of taking animals lives. Mahalo.

I was contemplating buying a pendant in this store when I noticed some objects that looked like ivory. Knowing that elephant poaching is reaching crisis levels in Africa right now (22,000 killed last year alone), I asked the woman behind the counter if they sell ivory, and she said: «Yes. Why wouldn’t we?!» I mentioned the poaching problem and she got defensive, saying she’s been in business for 40 years, has paperwork on her ivory and that we should trust the US government will stop illegal sales. She also suggested that her ivory comes from culling in South Africa and big game hunters. Regardless of the origin, the importation of ivory has been illegal since 1989. As long as there is demand for ivory, poaching will continue. With only 500,000 elephants left in Africa vs. 1.6 million in 1979; high poaching rates could soon lead to local extinctions:
Stores often claim they are selling «old» ivory that predates the ban, but given that the US is the second largest importer of ivory (after China), there’s no way that all the ivory tchotchkes being sold in the US are legitimate. As Former Interior Department Deputy Secretary David Hayes, who is on the president’s Advisory Council on Wildlife Trafficking, says: «With these loopholes and the difficulty of proving ivory’s origins and age, the few inspectors on the job simply do not have the resources or the tools to shut down the active U.S. market… As a nation, we embraced then-​Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s call to action a year ago to stop the poaching scourge, and we applauded President Obama’s directive to develop a comprehensive game plan to attack the problem. That game plan needs to start with a ban on the sale of ivory products in one of the largest ivory markets in the world — the U.S.»
I probably would have bought something from this store had I not been treated poorly for asking a legitimate question about the provenance of the products being sold. I was diplomatic in bringing up the matter with her and she was dismissive and rude, even making a snide remark as I left. We’re not just talking about poor customer service here, we are talking about the law. If I saw a merchant selling liquor to what appeared to be a minor, would the merchant be justified in getting defensive if I asked about it?

Lahaina Scrimshaw sells unique scrimshawed items for those who appreciate quality artwork. Three years ago (2009) I bought a hinged money clip with a beautiful schooner as the scrimshawed art. On my daughter’s wedding day in San Francisco (2012), I inadvertently dropped the money clip and did not notice the circular ivory artwork had popped off the money clip frame.
When my family and I returned to Maui in 2013, I stopped by Lahaina Scrimshaw and the manager, Larry, who had originally sold me the money clip, arranged to have a custom made replacement mastodon ivory piece of artwork reattached to the money clip. Larry’s wife, I believe, was the artist who re-​created the impressive ship, and what a beautiful job she did under rather tight time constraints.
The friendliness of the Lahaina Scrimshaw’s staff and their integrity as purveyors of fine pieces is truly appreciated!

I have had an enjoyable experience every time I’ve been to Lahaina Scrimshaw. I’ve bought several pieces of jewelry here, for myself and gifts. They’ve all lasted for 6+ years so far, and they’ve told me to come back, or send them in, if they are ever in need of repair, i.e. replacing the weaved rope on a necklace.
All of the pieces are unique, and beautiful. You should be able to find something nice and Hawaiian as a souvenir.

this place has really nice stuff. very unique. these are real hand crafted items by real artists. not your typical lahaina mass produced ABC copy store. when we went in the workers were so nice and helpful. you could tell they really enjoyed telling about each item and what made it special. prices were very fair considering you weren’t going to find many of these items anywhere else.

This is one of the more unique stores on Front street that has become as boring as any mall in America. Unfortunately the products and overpriced and the proprietor is rude. I’m sure he realizes what a cool store he’s got but he also has no quabbles with talking back to customers or listening to their needs. A great place to window shop but nothing more.