Pop-up Marketplace Brought Local Businesses to Wai‘anae

Mario Patino hopes to make the evening marketplace a recurring community event.

07 22 Parting Shot West Side Makeke Resized

Time: 5:30 P.M. | Location: Orita's Building, Waiʻanae. | Photo: Jay Javier

Mario Patino, founder of Patino Graphic Design, front, launched his popup marketplace on May 7.

Here, he poses with sponsors, from left, Jarrin Bannister and Melissa Macabantad from Lissa’s Treats, Tom and Eileen Zolen from Z’s Bakery & Deli, and Malia Ramiro from Rim Lickah. Seventeen vendors sold food, jewelry and other products at the Wai‘anae event, which Patino hopes to repeat.

Patino runs a growing design studio in Mākaha and has created logos for Camp Palehua, Akana Bros. Construction, Hawaiian Pastele Co., Lu‘au Hale Hoaloha at Mauna Lani and others. He also offers consulting services on marketing, branding and social media.

He moved to the Leeward Coast with his Mākaha-born wife, who he met in art classes at UH Manoa. “We love the West Side. This is the reason we try so hard to uplift and shine a spotlight on this area.”

This article appears in the June/July 2022 issue of Hawaii Business Magazine.