Basically Books

Basically Books More than a Bookstore! Open 10-5, Mon-Sat. Closed Sunday. Historic Downtown Hilo. Special orders are available.

A family owned specialty bookstore that focuses on Hawaii with books about Hawaii, Hawaiian Music CDs and DVDs, maps of Hawaii and the world, books in Hawaiian, children's books and toys, island-themed gifts, and souvenirs. A selection of classic and popular fiction and books by local authors can be found.

Join us at Basically Books from 4-6pm on August 17th for another audiobook craft night! If you can’t make it this time t...
08/07/2026

Join us at Basically Books from 4-6pm on August 17th for another audiobook craft night! If you can’t make it this time that’s ok! We try to hold craft night every third Monday of the month, follow us online to keep up to date with our Book Talks and other events! Thanks for supporting our indie bookstore!

08/01/2026

The national celebration of Lā Ho’iho’i Ea was established in 1843 under Kamehameha III to celebrate the restoration of Hawaiian Sovereignty after a temporary occupation by rouge agents of the British Crown.

On July 31st 1843 a large ceremony was held at what is now Thomas Square in Honolulu to lower the Union Jack and raise the Hawaiian flag once more to symbolize the return of control back to the hands of Kamehameha III.

This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the landings on Kohoolawe to protest the bombings, and celebrates George Jarrett Helm Jr, and James Kimo Mitchell.  

Find out more at Basically Books and on Lā Ho’iho’i Ea ‘s website (lahoihoiea.org)

07/30/2026

Visiting Hilo? Pickup a postcard from Basically Books for yourself or to mail back home to loved ones! Which one is your favorite?

07/29/2026

Puakea Nogelmeier has spent decades translating Hawaiian-language newspapers back into the light.

As Head Translator at Awaiaulu, he led the work of bringing John Papa ʻĪʻī’s writings into English for the first time in full.

That work became the introduction to Nā Hunahuna ʻIke Hawaiʻi, where he explains what sets ʻĪʻī apart from other writers of his era.

For Nogelmeier, ʻĪʻī’s value isn’t just how much he wrote, it’s that his years inside the royal court gave him insight no one else could offer.

Follow us (Awaiāulu) for the stories behind Hawaiian history and language.

07/26/2026

Find this book, and other dinosaur and pop-up books, at Basically Books!

Round 2 of our Audiobook Craft Club is a go! There’s still time to come down and join us, we’ll be here until 6! Or keep...
07/21/2026

Round 2 of our Audiobook Craft Club is a go! There’s still time to come down and join us, we’ll be here until 6! Or keep an eye on our socials for next time!

07/20/2026

It was so fun we’re doing it again! Stop by Basically Books from 4-6pm TODAY for our audiobook craft night! Bring your own craft and an audiobook and hang out with other Hilo crafters! Please RSVP on our craft night Facebook event page, and follow us on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram to keep up with our latest store events!

07/08/2026

Meet author Sara Kehaulani Goo at the Hilo Public Library TODAY (7/8/26) at 12:30pm, for her book “Kuleana”! Basically Books will be selling copies at the event table before during and after the event! We hope to see you there!

07/03/2026

Today’s Ōlelo word of the day is hale p**e, which means ‘church’!
Oh, what’s this! We’ve got a book on native Hawaiian churches from 1820-1900, titled “Nā Hale Pule” by Robert Benedetto.
**e

Basically Books will be closedSunday, June 28thMonday, June 29th andTuesday, June 30thfor our stores annual inventory! W...
06/28/2026

Basically Books will be closed

Sunday, June 28th
Monday, June 29th and
Tuesday, June 30th

for our stores annual inventory! We will be open again July 1st, 2nd, and 3rd from 10am-5pm and closed again for the July 4th Holiday! Regular store hours, Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm, will resume Monday, July 6th! Thanks for shopping with us! Shop local, shop small!

Address

334 Kilauea Avenue
Hilo, HI
96720

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 6pm
Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm
Saturday 10am - 6pm
Sunday 10am - 3pm

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