There are some places that don't need much styling. You walk in, the natural light hits just right, you put a vintage record on, and suddenly the entire story you've been imagining comes to life.
For our newest Coconut Ave collection, Puka Shell Motel, we found that place in Honomū, a historic little town along the Hāmākua Coast of Hawaiʻi Island.
Our destination was The Honomu Inn, owned by Nicole and Cody Welsh of Hāmākua. Filled with beautiful natural light, antique and retro décor, and rooms with the kind of character that simply can't be recreated on a set, the Inn felt like it had been waiting for Puka Shell Motel.
It was nostalgic. A little quirky. Warm, relaxed and effortlessly cool.
It felt like our romanticized version of 1970s Hawaiʻi—exactly the feeling we wanted for Puka Shell Motel.
Even better, we got to tell a little bit of the story of the couple behind it.
Meet Nicole + Cody Welsh of East Hawaiʻi
Nicole and Cody Welsh are East Hawaiʻi entrepreneurs and creatives who own The Honomu Inn and Aloha General in Honomū, Hawaiʻi.
Both are from the east side of Hawaiʻi Island, and their lives today are deeply rooted in the community they call home.
For Coconut Ave co-founder Kelly, this shoot also felt a little full circle.
Kelly and Nicole originally knew each other from their school days, attending Keaʻau High School together for a year. But their friendship didn't end there. The two are still friends today and often cross paths at the beach, at gatherings with mutual friends, and throughout the small East Hawaiʻi community.
Years later, their worlds have evolved in their own ways—into motherhood, family life, entrepreneurship and creative businesses—but their connection to this place has remained.
Their life feels creative, busy, grounded and distinctly East Hawaiʻi.
Inside The Honomu Inn: The Perfect Setting for Puka Shell Motel
The moment we walked into The Honomu Inn, we knew it was right.
The rooms are filled with natural light and layered with antique furnishings, vintage pieces and retro-inspired details. There is personality everywhere you look.
Nothing feels overly polished or manufactured.
Instead, the Inn has the warmth and character of a place that has lived a few lives.
For Puka Shell Motel, that was exactly what we wanted.
Our newest collection plays with a nostalgic version of vintage Hawaiʻi—the feeling of roadside motels, old postcards, puka shell necklaces, sun-faded signs, surf culture, tropical prints and long beach days.
We wanted the campaign to feel almost like a memory.
Like finding an old roll of film tucked inside a drawer from someone's Hawaiʻi summer in the 1970s.
The Honomu Inn gave us that feeling naturally.
We photographed our model throughout the Inn, using the beautiful rooms, windows, furniture and natural light as part of the story. Rather than building a set to look vintage, we were able to photograph somewhere that already had the warmth and nostalgia we were looking for.
Then we stepped outside and kept shooting.
Shooting Puka Shell Motel Around Honomū
One of the best parts about this location was how effortlessly we could move through Honomū.
The Honomu Inn and Aloha General are just seconds apart on foot, so the town itself became part of our Puka Shell Motel campaign.
We photographed our model at the Inn, outside the businesses and along this little stretch of Honomū, finding different textures and backdrops everywhere we turned.
The historic storefronts, sleepy streets and lush Hāmākua surroundings made everything feel like another time.
It was exactly what we hoped the campaign would be: relaxed, nostalgic, colorful and a little playful.
And then we convinced Nicole and Cody to get in front of the camera themselves.
Aloha General + Kula Shave Ice
Just steps away from the Inn is Aloha General, Nicole and Cody's other labor of love.
The Honomū general store and café serves Kula Shave Ice, along with food and drinks—and if you've heard locals talking about their smash burgers, there is a reason.
Their smash burgers have developed quite the following and, for now, are available on select weekend days. If you're heading there specifically for one, we'd recommend checking their current schedule first.
Naturally, we couldn't spend a day at Aloha General without getting a shave ice.
Nicole and Cody were sweet enough to make us one as a special treat while we photographed them doing what they love.
Our order?
The Local—with guava added for an extra pop of color.
It was almost too pretty to eat.
Almost.
While Cody wore one of our Coconut Ave men's shirts, Nicole slipped into our Maumae Maxi Dress in the Puka Shell print, and we photographed the two of them together inside Aloha General.
These ended up being some of our favorite photographs from the entire campaign.
They're ridiculously cute.
More importantly, the photos feel like them.
Two people standing inside something they've built together, laughing and making shave ice, surrounded by the community where they grew up—all while wearing pieces from a collection inspired by the Hawaiʻi we love.
Meet Nicole: Mother, Surfer, Gardener + Entrepreneur
If you've met Nicole, you probably understand immediately why we wanted to share more of her story.
Nicole has a background in natural medicine, and health and wellness continue to influence the way she approaches everyday life. She loves beautiful flowers and gardening and has an obvious connection to nature.
That connection extends into another project close to their hearts: Nicole and Cody are building a farm from the ground up to sustainably supply their store for generations to come. It's another way they're thoughtfully creating something connected to place, family and the future.
She's also the sweetest surfer girl you'll ever meet.
At the same time, she's raising and homeschooling two young daughters while working full time alongside Cody to operate both of their Honomū businesses.
It's a lot.
But what we love about Nicole and Cody's life is that family, work, creativity and home don't seem to exist in completely separate boxes.
They're woven together.
Their daughters are part of the world they're creating. Surfing, food, hospitality and community are part of it.
There is something beautifully East Hawaiʻi about that.
Meet Cody: Photographer, Artist + Certified Hilo Surfer Dude
And then there's Cody—a certified Hilo surfer dude in the best possible way.
Originally from Hawaiʻi Island, Cody spent time away pursuing his creative interests, particularly photography. He's a photographer, editor and artist with a natural creative eye.
He also spent years working closely with Sig Zane, giving him his own background and experience within Hawaiʻi's fashion and creative world.
Once you know that, the visual world Nicole and Cody have created together makes even more sense.
There's an eye behind it.
Cody also shares in the kuleana of homeschooling their daughters while working alongside Nicole to manage both businesses.
Between family, art, photography, food, hospitality, surfing, Nicole and Cody have created something that feels entirely their own.
And somehow their energies match perfectly.
They're creative, relaxed, hardworking and genuinely kind—the type of people who make you feel at home almost immediately.
Why We Chose Honomū for the Puka Shell Motel Campaign
One of the things we loved most about photographing Coconut Ave's Puka Shell Motel collection in Honomū was that we didn't have to manufacture the feeling we were searching for.
Honomū already has it.
Located along the Hāmākua Coast north of Hilo, Honomū is a small historic town surrounded by the lush landscape East Hawaiʻi is known for. It's also near one of Hawaiʻi Island's most recognizable destinations, ʻAkaka Falls.
But tucked into the town itself are small businesses, creatives and families keeping Honomū alive in their own ways.
There is nostalgia built into the place.
For a collection called Puka Shell Motel, we couldn't have dreamed up a better backdrop.
Supporting Small Businesses in Honomū, Hawaiʻi
As Coconut Ave continues to grow, we want to keep telling stories about the people and places around us—especially here at home on Hawaiʻi Island.
There is so much creativity tucked into the small towns of East Hawaiʻi.
Artists. Surfers. Designers. Photographers. Makers. Parents. Restaurant owners. Entrepreneurs.
And often, one person is several of those things at once.
Nicole and Cody are the perfect example.
They're raising their daughters. They're surfing. They're creating. They're running an inn. They're running a general store. They're making shave ice. They're flipping smash burgers.
And they're doing all of it in the community that helped shape them.
That's pretty special.
Visiting Honomū on Hawaiʻi Island
If you're exploring the Hāmākua Coast or heading toward ʻAkaka Falls, Honomū is worth slowing down for.
Aloha General and The Honomu Inn are located along Old Mamalahoa Highway in Honomū, making it easy to experience this little pocket of town on foot.
Stop into Aloha General for Kula Shave Ice, check their current schedule to see if the smash burgers are cooking, wander through Honomū and take in one of our favorite little corners of Hawaiʻi Island.
And if you're staying at The Honomu Inn and suddenly feel the urge to put on a tropical print, turn up a vintage record and pretend it's 1974...
We completely understand.
Mahalo, Nicole + Cody
We're incredibly grateful to Nicole and Cody for opening their businesses to Coconut Ave and allowing us to bring Puka Shell Motel into their world for the day.
What began as a location for a campaign turned into one of those shoots we'll remember because of everything surrounding it—the rooms, the vintage details, Honomū, the natural light, the shave ice, the laughs and getting Nicole and Cody in front of the camera together.
And yes, we're still obsessed with those photos.
Mahalo, Nicole and Cody, for sharing a little piece of your world with us.
Welcome to Puka Shell Motel.
VACANCY • CASH OR SHELL TRADES.