Native Hawaiian Advancement Council Seeks Vendors for Virtual Marketplace Now Partnering with Amazon & Shopify

Pop-Up Mākeke, the online marketplace established to support Hawai’i’s small businesses struggling during the pandemic, has partnered with Amazon and Shopify — and is now accepting vendor applications for its third season.

Vendors wishing to apply for this upcoming season can begin the process online. Vendor selections will begin in early April.  

“Our economic recovery is underway, but it is a long, tenuous process,” said Kūhio Lewis, President and CEO of the Council on Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA). “We are excited to be able to continue Pop-Up Mākeke as a means to help Hawaiʻi’s struggling small businesses continue to find success. The changes we are implementing are designed to empower vendors and to deliver a better customer experience by reducing processing time and fulfilling demand more efficiently. We want to see these local small businesses continue to succeed by increasing sales.”

CNHA created the mākeke (market, in Hawaiian) in April 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the Merrie Monarch Festival, which many local vendors relied on for financial stability throughout the year.

In its first two five-month runs, Pop-Up Mākeke injected more than $2 million into Hawaiʻi’s economy selling more than 100,000 products from hundreds of local small and micro businesses. Its customer base now spans the globe—with tens of thousands of shoppers enjoying their purchases.

Vendors will be selected by an internal committee looking for products that represent Hawaiʻi’s diversity and align with the Pop-Up Mākeke mission and brand.

“Streamlining our vendor vetting system and the items offered for sale in Pop-Up Mākeke will allow us to ensure that our customers are getting the quality products they expect and that the experience is a profitable one for our vendors as well,” Lewis said.

For more information, or to apply, click here.