GFS-like store on Oahu?

February 21, 2013 3:53 PM

Are there any restaurant supply stores on Oahu like GFS, in that they are open to the public and sell dry goods and spices in bulk?

I'm going to be on Oahu next month, and while it's a vacation, it's also a supply run. There are a lot of things that are either hard to find, or prohibitively expensive in Japan, ranging from onion powder to clothing that fits. Finding clothes in Hawaii is the easy part. I'm looking for a restaurant supply style store where I can find bulk spices (like the jumbo size McCormick spices). I'll definitely have access to a car for at least a couple days, so getting around won't be an issue.

As a random tack-on to this, if anyone can point me to a decent BBQ goods store, or an outdoor store that also has a good range of things for the BBQ, and/or a place that actually sells curing salts (aka pink salt), I'd be delirious with gratitude.

posted by Ghidorah to shopping (4 answers total)

Oahu has Costco and Sam's Club, which may have jumbo sizes.

I think Y. Hata in Kalihi might have curing salts and other bulk items for restaurant supply. I've read they're open to the public.

Small caveat, I've not actually looked in those locations for the items you're interested in, so I can't confirm if they carry it. They just seem to be among the more-logical places that would.
posted by CancerMan at 4:48 PM on February 21

Just to clarify, I've been to Oahu a bunch of times. I'll definitely check Y. Hata, but Costco doesn't have the range of things I'm looking for (they've got, say, the big tubs of McCormick garlic powder, but they don't tend to have the big tubs of Spanish paprika, or chipotle powder).
posted by Ghidorah at 5:29 PM on February 21

Would a health-food style setup (i.e. sold from self-serve bins) work for you? IIRC Kokua Market and Down To Earth sell spices/grains by weight.
posted by kagredon at 6:02 PM on February 21

I would imagine that ordering stuff online and having it shipped to Oahu where you'll be staying could also work, no? Especially if you're ordering enough to get free shipping.
posted by heyho at 7:18 PM on February 21