Every strip near a resort has the same setup — t-shirts, keychains, coffee mugs, all marked up for people who won't be back to compare prices anywhere else. That's not where anyone who actually lives here shops.
The thrift stores are where you find the island's real character. Aloha shirts that have been broken in for years, hand-thrown pottery from someone's studio down the road, books left behind by people who moved off-island and didn't want to pack them. None of it staged for a photo. All of it priced by people who just want it gone.
Consignment shops are the step up from that — someone's carefully curated closet, surf gear that's barely been used, furniture from a house that just changed hands. You're not paying retail, and you're not digging through a bin either. Somewhere in between, and usually worth the stop.
The trick is going more than once. These shops turn over fast, and what's on the rack Tuesday is gone by Thursday. Locals know this. They check in regularly instead of expecting one big haul.
Ask at the counter what day new stock usually comes in. Most owners will just tell you.