Honolulu Magazine

What Honolulu Magazine does

Honolulu Magazine is a regional media publisher producing a multi-platform city magazine and companion titles serving O'ahu and broader Hawai'i. It publishes print and digital issues of HONOLULU Magazine covering local news, food and dining, events, city life, style, family, home, health, and education, alongside sub-brands Honolulu Family (parenting and family lifestyle) and Frolic Hawai'i (food and dining editorial). The publication operates inside the aio Family of Companies, a Hawai'i-based media group that also includes Hawai'i Business and HAWAI'I Magazine, providing cross-title audience and advertising inventory leverage. Distribution spans home-delivery and digital subscriptions, retail newsstand placement across O'ahu, the HONOLULU Shop e-commerce storefront for merchandise and back issues, e-newsletters, and an active social presence on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube.

Name

Honolulu Magazine

Legal name

Honolulu Magazine

Website

https://honolulumagazine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1888

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Honolulu Magazine is a regional media publisher producing print and digital city magazines and companion titles covering dining, events, family, health, and lifestyle content for O'ahu and broader Hawai'i.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Lifestyle Magazine

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (51312)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Consumer Lifestyle & Fashion Magazines (MPAJAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food, Cooking & Beverage Magazines (MPAJAEAF), Health, Fitness & Wellness Magazines (MPAJAEAD)

Keywords

• Regional lifestyle magazine
• Local dining guides
• Community events calendar
• Magazine subscriptions
• Advertising services

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Magazine Subscriptions: Print and digital subscription revenue from readers subscribing to HONOLULU Magazine, HONOLULU Family, and related titles. Subscriptions available for Print + Digital Edition.
2. Advertising and Marketing Services: Advertising revenue through partner content, sponsored articles, branded content, and promotional placements. Includes partner content sections and branded event coverage.
3. Event Sponsorships and Co-Hosted Events: Revenue from hosting and sponsoring events such as Best Dentists Reception, Taste of Honolulu, and other community events. Includes partnerships with Hawai'i Dental Service and American Savings Bank.
4. Retail/Merchandise Sales: Sales through HONOLULU Shop featuring branded merchandise and back issue sales.

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Honolulu Magazine publishes a print and digital regional lifestyle magazine serving O'ahu and Hawai'i, covering local dining, events, culture, style, family, home, health, and education. It monetizes this audience through subscriptions, advertising, event sponsorships (e.g., Taste of Honolulu, Best Dentists Reception), branded merchandise, and annual awards franchises such as the Hale 'Aina Awards, Best of HONOLULU, Top Doctors, Best Lawyers, and Best Dentists.

Product overview

HONOLULU Magazine operates as a multi-platform media company publishing print and digital content for O'ahu and Hawai'i. The portfolio includes the core HONOLULU Magazine publication covering news, dining, events, culture, style, family, home, health, and education, alongside specialized verticals such as Frolic Hawai'i (food and dining), HONOLULU Family (parenting and family activities), Hawai'i Business, and HAWAI'I Magazine (travel). The company also operates HONOLULU Shop for subscriptions and merchandise, and produces signature events including the annual Hale 'Aina restaurant awards, Best of HONOLULU readers' choice awards, Taste of Honolulu food festival, and Restaurant Week Hawai'i. The publication maintains neighborhood-specific content sections covering areas including Waipahu, Kailua, Waikiki, and others.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Frolic Hawai'i: Food and dining editorial section/blog covering restaurants, local eats, and culinary culture in Hawaii
• Honolulu Family

Products and services

• HONOLULU Magazine The primary print and digital publication covering local news, dining, events, culture, style, family, home, health, education, and lifestyle content for O'ahu and Hawai'i residents and visitors.
• Frolic Hawai'i A food and dining-focused vertical within HONOLULU Magazine covering restaurants, recipes, local food culture, and culinary events for Hawai'i diners.
• HONOLULU Family A family-focused publication covering parenting, activities, education, and family lifestyle content for O'ahu families, available as a sister magazine under the aio Family of Companies.
• HONOLULU Shop An online store at shop.honolulumagazine.com selling magazine subscriptions, branded merchandise, and back issues of HONOLULU Magazine.
• Hale 'Aina Awards Annual restaurant awards program recognizing the best dining establishments in Hawai'i, featuring chef receptions and published winner lists.
• Best of HONOLULU 2026 Annual readers' choice awards covering categories including food and drink, beauty and self-care, and shopping on O'ahu.
• Top Doctors Annual listing of top medical professionals in Hawai'i, recognized for clinical excellence.
• Best Lawyers in Hawai'i Annual listing of top legal professionals in Hawai'i, providing a trusted directory for the local market.
• Best Dentists in Hawai'i Annual peer-selected recognition of Hawai'i's top dental professionals, with winners celebrated at an annual reception co-sponsored with Hawai'i Dental Service.
• Taste of Honolulu Annual food festival presented by American Savings Bank, held at Bishop Museum featuring local cuisine, music, and family activities.
• Restaurant Week Hawai'i Annual dining event featuring prix fixe menus at restaurants across O'ahu with proceeds supporting the Culinary Institute of the Pacific.
• Hawai'i Business A business publication covering Hawai'i's business news, economy, and corporate landscape, distributed as part of the aio Family of Companies.
• HAWAI'I Magazine A travel and lifestyle magazine covering Hawai'i destinations, culture, and visitor experiences, distributed as part of the aio Family of Companies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hale 'Aina Awards recognized as definitive guide to Hawai'i's best restaurants

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Hawai'i Dental ServicecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 March 2026Annual partnership for Best Dentists in Hawai'i recognition program. Hawai'i Dental Service co-sponsors the annual reception celebrating Hawai'i's top dentists selected by their peers. Event held at Arden Waikiki with photos documenting the celebration.
• American Savings BankcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Presenting sponsor of Taste of Honolulu event. American Savings Bank brings food, music, and family fun to Bishop Museum. Event partnership positions bank as community supporter while reaching magazine's food-engaged audience.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Texas Monthly: Iconic regional magazine with strong state-level brand identity covering food, culture, travel, and politics. Comparable to Honolulu Magazine as a regionally dominant lifestyle title where local loyalty and signature editorial franchises (e.g., Top 50 BBQ) sustain subscription and advertising demand.
• Seattle Magazine: City lifestyle magazine covering dining, events, and culture with annual Top Doctors and dining awards. Closely matches Honolulu Magazine's combination of city lifestyle coverage, recurring healthcare professional directories, and signature dining awards.
• Philadelphia Magazine: Regional city magazine combining dining guides, lifestyle coverage, and high-profile annual awards (e.g., Best of Philly, Top Doctors). Directly comparable to Honolulu Magazine's mix of editorial, events, and recurring B2B-friendly awards franchises.
• San Diego Magazine: Coastal city lifestyle magazine covering dining, events, family, and annual Best of San Diego readers' choice awards. Comparable to Honolulu Magazine in content mix and reliance on tourism-influenced local advertising demand.
• Boston Magazine: City magazine covering dining, lifestyle, events, and annual Top Doctors / Best of Boston directories. Closely comparable to Honolulu Magazine through its combination of consumer lifestyle editorial, annual 'best-of' awards programs, and healthcare professional directories.
• San Francisco Magazine: Bay Area city magazine with parallel coverage of dining, events, and lifestyle. Directly comparable to Honolulu Magazine as a regional lifestyle title monetized through subscriptions, advertising, and signature annual awards (e.g., Top Restaurants). It competes in a similar high-cost-of-living metro market.
• Los Angeles Magazine: Long-running city lifestyle magazine covering dining, culture, events, and local rankings for the Los Angeles market. Highly comparable to Honolulu Magazine in business model (subscriptions + advertising + events + awards) and content verticals (food, events, style, neighborhood guides).
• Portland Monthly: City magazine covering dining, culture, and lifestyle in the Portland metro, including annual Top Doctors and restaurant awards. Matches Honolulu Magazine's content structure and event-driven monetization model.
• Atlanta Magazine: City magazine covering dining, arts, lifestyle, and Top Doctors directories for the Atlanta metro. Highly comparable in product mix—print + digital subscriptions, advertising, annual readers' choice awards, and a recurring Top Doctors franchise similar to Honolulu's healthcare professional listings.

Broad incumbents

• Eater: National digital food publication covering restaurant news and dining culture across major U.S. cities, including Honolulu. Comparable to Honolulu Magazine's Frolic Hawai'i vertical as an editorial competitor in the local dining content category, though Eater operates as a national platform rather than a regional print title.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/honolulumag
• YouTubeyoutube.com/honolulumagazine
• Facebookfacebook.com/honolulumag
• Instagraminstagram.com/honolulumag
• Pinterestpinterest.com/honolulumag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Honolulu Magazine