Our favorite places: ChoiceMART Captain Cook

In this series of blogs we explore our favorite places on the Kona Coast and around the island. This one is an easy one – our favorite local supermarket. ChoiceMART is located in Captain Cook and has been part of the community since 2000. It’s part of the Kealakekua Ranch Center and what started as a general store has become an extensively stocked independent supermarket supporting the local community – offering a wide range of products from local suppliers.

ChoiceMART has a great selection of fresh fish, a lot which is sourced locally. They also have a great selection of fresh fruit and vegetables.

ChoiceMART has a large section of the store stocked with health foods – in particular organic foods and gluten-free options.

Bakery & Deli

The in-store bakery provides a wide array of cakes and baked goods – including malasadas. They have a great selection of cheese from around the world (I once found cheese from New Zealand here).

The deli also supplies hot and cold food selections, including sandwiches. They also make sushi on-site.

Growler Shack

ChoiceMART also have local beer on tap. Take a growler and they will fill it for you!

The beer department stocks a wide range of locally brewed beers.

They also have a great selection of wine and spirits.

ChoiceMART is located about 9 miles from Horizon Guest House and is the closest supermarket to us. It’s a great option if you’d prefer not driving to Kona. Online shopping is available and they will deliver within 20 miles. The minimum order is $85 and delivery is $14.95.

**Please note this is not a sponsored post – we just like our local supermarket… a lot! **

ChoiceMART

82-6066 Mamalahoa Hwy, Captain Cook, HI 96704

Ph. 808 323 3994

Hours: Mon – Sun, 5am – 9:30pm

https://www.choicemarthawaii.com

What’s in a name? The history of the town of Captain Cook

Captain Cook, Hawaii
Photo credit: By Ivtorov - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

Located in the district of South Kona, about 20 minutes south of Kailua-Kona, the town of Captain Cook is nestled in the Kona coffee belt and covers around 12 square miles with a population of approximately 3,400 people. Before the 1960s much of the land in the area was part of the Kealakekua Ranch, originally founded by Henry Greenwell in the 1850s.

Captain Cook Coffee Company Hawaii
Photo credit: imagesofoldhawaii.com

The town was originally named after the British explorer, Captain James Cook, who was killed on the shores of nearby Kealakekua Bay in 1779. The town was so-named due to the fact that the post office for the district was located in the Captain Cook Coffee Company building in the early 1900s, and so became the Captain Cook post office. The Captain Cook Coffee Company dominated the coffee industry in the area at the time by acting as one of the intermediaries between the coffee farmers and the coffee market.

Captain Cook Monument Big Island Hawaii
Photo credit: hawaiilife.com

The Captain Cook Monument, which is a white obelisk 27 feet in height, was installed in 1874 and is located near the site of his death. The land on which the obelisk sits is in fact owned in the name of the British Consul General. Inverted cannons surround the monument and were added along with a number of coconut trees. In the area behind the obelisk, within the forest, are the ruins of the ancient Hawaiian village of Ka’awaloa. Access to the obelisk is via the Ka’awaloa Trail, a 3.6 mile hike down to Kealakekua Bay.

Mid-19th C. engraving of Kaawaloa
Mid-19th C. engraving of Ka'awaloa Village, Kealakekua Bay

In early 2022 a resolution petitioning to rename Captain Cook as Ka’awaloa did not precede past the committee stage. The resolution would have renamed the area for its original historical name. However, the measure was deferred indefinitely. Prior to Captain Cook’s arrival the area was known as Ka’awaloa for the Hawaiian village as well as the royal residence which was also in the area.