Business Monday: Hilo’s guitar shop turns 10 and wants to ‘keep the music going’

Spencer and Laura Ahuna started their journey to owning a music store unconventionally — by spinning a wheel and buying a vowel.

“We actually won ‘Wheel of Fortune,’” Laura Ahuna said. “In 2014, we decided to audition just to try it out. Many weeks later, they gave us a call after our wedding and invited us to be contestants. We won a honeymoon and some cash and used that to invest in the business and ultimately open our own music shop.”

On Sept. 1, Big Island Guitars and Music Supply, located inside the Hilo Shopping Center, will celebrate its 10th anniversary.

During the past decade, the Big Island natives have created a small oasis for musicians of all levels to expand their collection, repair a long-loved instrument or learn how to play a new one. It also has become a place for musicians in East Hawaiʻi to converse, share ideas and jam.

Laura Ahuna said she noticed during this year’s Hoʻolauleʻa, an annual, free music festival in downtown Hilo, that there were a good portion of instruments used on stage that were purchased or repaired at their shop.

“It’s beautiful to know that we are supporting the music scene on the Big Island and that musicians are supporting us,” she said.

While Laura Ahuna does not play an instrument, she has been around the music scene her whole life, beginning with her father and followed by her husband. She also enjoys vocal performance and was recently in the Palace Theater musical, “Shrek,” with their daughter.

Spencer Ahuna primarily plays guitar and is in the 8-piece band, Beyond Paradise, which plays cover songs of popular music for corporate events and large, private celebrations.

At their shop, people looking for a new instrument can try them out. Almost everything is available to play and plug into to jam right away.

Along with offering instruments, strings, tuners, amplifiers and much more, the Ahunas also offer repair services that is the specialty of Spencer Ahuna. When he got his first guitar at age 17, he brought it home and took it completely apart only to put it back together.

“I think it’s just how my brain works because I started learning how to fix guitars for my parents when I was 10,” Spencer Ahuna said. “Guitar repair is really a niche thing. It’s hard to find people who work on guitars and I have been able to learn a lot from others over the years. I have always been interested in modifying my guitar or just the idea of taking a cheaper guitar and making it extremely unique.”

The repair work is in such demand that there is a waiting list.

“The repairs are endless because people here often pass down their heirloom instruments, and they want to take care of that stuff,” he said. “The weather can also deteriorate instruments faster, so it’s important to have a shop where you can bring in a guitar to get it checked. This island is artistic and musical, which is why there are so many people in need of repairs.”

To lighten his load, he has been mentoring and teaching a couple employees how to repair guitars, which is a precarious job. 

Over the years, the Ahunas have been able to hire more people, giving themselves more time to make changes to keep up with the always evolving music industry.

“We have a goal to bring cool information and cool gear to the public while also opening people’s eyes to the creative and professional possibilities available in the music business,” Spencer Ahuna said.

Laura Ahuna added: “There has really been a resurgence of young people interested in playing music, whether that’s on stage in a band or by themselves in their safe space. It’s an exciting time and we want to keep the music going.”

Big Island Guitar and Music Shop has been able to introduce youth and adults to the world of music by offering their customers connections to local entertainers, a studio for private lessons, and a free, monthly workshop, which takes place from 4 to 6 p.m. every first Saturday of the month.

“We have awesome music teachers that give us their schedules and contact information every year and it’s awesome seeing the youth and the adults that are taking lessons every week,” Laura Ahuna said. “YouTube is one way to learn, but there is something different about learning in person. You can ask questions, learn something different like putting together a pedal board or playing in a certain style.”

The shop works with teachers that offer lessons in guitar, bass, ʻukulele, violin, music theory, voice, drums, saxophone, mandolin and more.

“We hope to start offering more workshops, classes and performance opportunities like open mic events to help musicians make more connections and get a feel of performing,” Laura Ahuna said. “I do think Hilo is lacking in live music opportunities, so I have this goal of creating venues that can be used by our community, but also by musicians from around the world.”

The necessity of music shops has recently increased since the Music Exchange recently closed its stores in Hilo and Kailua-Kona after many years in business. While there are music stores located in Hilo, Pāhoa and Kona, the loss of a longtime small business can change the landscape of what is available to musicians.

“We honestly could not have gone as far as we have without the Music Exchange,” Laura Ahuna said. “I just want to thank them for everything they have done for the Big Island music community.

“It felt like I was calling them every week to see if they had something someone asked us about and vice versa. We wanted to work together to keep money local and we want to continue that sense of aloha with the other local shops. We need each other and can accomplish so much more together.”

The Ahunas say they will continue to listen to musicians’ needs and make sure they are there to help them achieve their artistic and creative goals.

Recently, they also began offering opportunities in audio recording and production with sound engineer Drew Zaragoza. Musicians can work in a studio setting tracking, writing, editing, mixing and mastering original music. To inquire about studio time, email Zaragoza at zaragozamusician@gmail.com.

“Hilo deserves good performance spaces and music shops, and our plans are just to keep this going,” Spencer Ahuna said. “We feel like this is what we’re supposed to do, like it is our civic duty.”

Big Island Guitars and Music Shop is open Monday through Thursday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Private lessons are available seven days a week. For more information on the shop and its upcoming opportunities, follow Big Island Guitars on Instagram.

To inquire about private lessons, email bigmusicstudio@gmail.com. For repairs, call 808-969-9342, or visit the shop at 1221 Kīlauea Ave. Suite 10 in Hilo.