DEL NORTE – The first thing visitors see when walking into Kona Vintage inside the Gently Loved Thrift Store in Del Norte is an original Nintendo 64 sitting on a low table in front of an antique couch and though the Nintendo is not for sale nor the couch it sets the scene for the rest of the groovy store. 

Owner Sean Aloisi moved to the Del Norte area after a vehicle accident that left him with little to do besides heal. “I had started Kona Vintage in Hawaii where I lived but after my accident, I needed to heal with family, so I moved down to Del Norte with my sister Sandra,” explained Aloisi. 

The walls of Kona Vintage are covered in 80s and 90s style t-shirts with everything from bands like The Who, artists like Tu-Pac and Jimmy Hendrix as well as well-known characters from The Simpsons, Looney Tunes and so much more. The vibe screams 80s with a twist of early 90s thrown in. 

“I grew up skateboarding and doing different things in Hawaii, so this was something I had always kind of wanted to do. Some of the clothing I sell hasn’t even had the tags taken off yet and you just can’t find stuff like this anymore,” he said. 

Aloisi started getting into buying and selling vintage clothing when a friend of his sold him his collection which officially kicked started the 23-year old’s passion for all things groovy. “I just really enjoy doing it and I like to be able to have a place where I can meet people face to face. I buy a lot of my stuff from sellers online, but I like to hear the stories, the memories and the things that make this stuff special to people. I like the face-to-face interaction.” 

Kona Vintage fits perfectly in the side room at Gently Loved Thrift Store and the partnership between Aloisi and his sister has made the start of his business much easier. “I would eventually like to have my own store front but honestly this set up works for both of us and customers seem to really like it.” 

Aloisi has been contacted by Adam State University and has been asked to open a pop-up store this weekend on Saturday, April 5, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.  

Kona Vintage is open from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information or to speak with Sean about inventory, visit him on Instagram under Kona_Vintage or by calling 808-721-6344 or by emailing aloisisean@gmail.com.