What Paradise Plants does

Paradise Plants Home and Garden Center is a privately held, women-owned retail business operating a single storefront at 40 Wiwoole Street in Hilo, Hawaii. Founded in 1978 by Lesley Hill as a small plant nursery attached to Davie's Building Supply in Keaukaha, the company has expanded over more than 45 years into a full home and garden center serving Hawaii Island. Following Lesley Hill's death in May 2017, her daughters Maikalani and Loke assumed ownership and incorporated the business as Paradise Plants Home and Garden Center LLC. The company currently operates with 1-10 employees and continues to run from its long-standing Hilo location, Monday through Saturday, 9am to 5pm.

The business sells tropical plants (citrus, palms, native plants, herbs, vegetables, bare root fruit trees), solid wood furniture (teak, mango, acacia, reclaimed pine) sourced directly from Indonesia, upholstered furniture from Canadian manufacturer Stylus Sofas, ceramic pots from Vietnam, stone statuary and mosaic tiles from Indonesia, and Japanese housewares including Iwachu cast iron tea pots. Revenue is generated almost entirely through one-time in-store merchandise sales, supplemented by custom and special orders (sofas, rugs) that require a 50% deposit, a layaway program with a 20% deposit and three-month payment window, fee-based delivery and assembly services, and digital gift cards sold through Square. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via a physical storefront, with top-of-funnel marketing limited to organic Instagram and Facebook, an email newsletter, and occasional evening community events in the warehouse since May 2021.

There is no proprietary technology, no e-commerce storefront beyond Square e-gift cards, no external funding, and no parent company. Competitive positioning rests on climate-specific horticultural expertise, direct-import sourcing that supports pricing, and 45+ years of community brand recognition in East Hawaii, recognized with Best Nursery awards in 2009 and 2011.

Name

Paradise Plants

Legal name

Paradise Plants Home and Garden Center LLC

Website

https://paradiseplantshilo.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Paradise Plants Home and Garden Center is a women-owned, family-operated single-store retailer in Hilo, Hawaii, selling tropical plants, imported solid wood and upholstered furniture, ceramic pots, statuary, and home decor to Hawaii Island consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Home and Garden Retail

NAICS

Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (44424), Furniture Retailers (449110)

SIC

Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply (5200), Retail-Furniture Stores (5712)

akta.pro primary industry

Plants, Seeds & Nursery Retail (Garden Centers) (CRAIAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Patio & Outdoor Furniture Retail (Seating, Dining, Umbrellas) (CRAIAIAF), Indoor Plants, Faux Florals & Botanical Décor Retail (CRAIACAG)

Keywords

• Retail garden center
• Tropical plant nursery
• Home furniture retail
• Home decor store
• Garden supplies retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Hilo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Retail merchandise sales: Physical retail store selling plants, solid wood furniture, upholstered furniture, home decor, statuary, ceramic pots, and garden supplies. Products sourced from Indonesia (teak/mango wood furniture, stone statuary), Vietnam (ceramic pots), Canada (upholstered furniture), Japan (housewares), and California (bare root fruit trees). One-time purchase model for most merchandise.
2. Custom and special orders: Custom furniture orders (sofas, sectionals) with 50% deposit required at time of purchase. Custom rug orders through KAS Rugs with two-week delivery. Layaway program for furniture with 20% deposit and three-month payment window.
3. Delivery services: Delivery services offered with additional fees for special circumstances (hoisting, stairs, long driveways). Assembly services available for additional fee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Paradise Plants Home and Garden Center operates a single physical retail storefront in Hilo, Hawaii selling tropical plants suited for Hawaii's unique climates, solid wood furniture (teak, mango, acacia, reclaimed pine), upholstered furniture from Canada, outdoor furniture, ceramic pots imported from Vietnam, stone statuary and fountains from Indonesia, mosaic stone tiles, Japanese housewares, rugs, lamps, home decor, and garden supplies. The business also accepts custom furniture and rug orders and offers layaway and digital gift cards via Square.

Product overview

Paradise Plants Home and Garden Center is a women-owned retail business offering a comprehensive range of home and garden products. The portfolio includes Plants (indoor/outdoor plants, fruit trees, herbs, vegetables), Solid Wood Furniture (Teak, Mango, Acacia, Pine tables, desks, dressers, beds), Upholstered Furniture (sectionals, sofas, sofa beds, accent chairs from Canada), Outdoor Furniture (resin and Teak), Futons and Basic Beds (rubber wood), Garden products (ceramic pots from Vietnam, stone statuary and fountains from Indonesia, mosaic tiles), Home Decor (rugs, lamps, Japanese housewares, cotton quilts, tableware), and Digital Gift Cards via Square. The business was founded in 1978 in Hilo, Hawaii and has operated for over 45 years.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tropical Plants Indoor and outdoor plants including citrus, berries, palms, herbs, bedding plants, native plants, orchids, warm climate fruit trees, and bulbs suited for Hawaii's unique climate, plus bare root fruit trees arriving annually in February. Sold to Hawaii Island homeowners and gardeners at the Hilo retail store.
• Solid Wood Furniture Tables, desks, dressers, beds and other pieces made from renewable, sustainable solid woods including Teak, Mango, Acacia, and Reclaimed Pine, imported direct from Indonesia. Built to last in Hawaii's climate.
• Upholstered Furniture Sectionals, sofas, sofa beds, and accent chairs manufactured in Canada, with custom fabric and style orders fulfilled through Stylus Sofas with 2-3 month delivery.
• Outdoor Furniture Colorful outdoor chairs and tables made from durable injection-molded resin that resists fading, plus Teak outdoor furniture suited for covered porches and lanais in Hawaii.
• Futons and Basic Beds Futon frames and basic bed frames made from sustainably grown rubber wood, with memory foam mattresses included and in-stock for immediate purchase.
• Fruit Trees Citrus trees (orange, tangerine, pomelo, grapefruit, limes, lemons) in standard and dwarf varieties, tropical trees (Lychee, Mango, Soursop, Longan, Rambutan, Avocados), and warm-climate bare root trees (Apples, Plums, Cherries, Nectarines, Pears, Pomegranate, Persimmons) arriving annually in February from California.
• Mosaic Stone Tiles Hand-picked mosaic stone tiles bonded to mesh backing for indoor or outdoor bathrooms and walkways. Available at $59.95 per box (11 sq ft) or $5.95 per sq ft; loose stones at $14.95 per bag.
• Stone Statuary and Fountains Stone statuary, fountains, and lanterns imported direct from Indonesia, plus locally made cement pagodas and sculptures.
• Ceramic Pots Colorful ceramic pots imported annually direct from Vietnam in a multitude of sizes, shapes, and colors for home or garden decoration.
• Natural Stone and Marble Sinks Stone and marble sinks imported direct from Indonesia for bathroom installations.
• Rugs Fashionable and tropical rugs including 100% wool and durable Polypropylene, with indoor/outdoor options. Custom rug orders fulfilled via KAS Rugs with two-week delivery.
• Lamps Standing, tabletop, and pendant lamps in various colors and styles suited for tropical decor.
• Japanese Housewares Sake and tea sets, rice bowls, plates, cups, and Iwachu cast iron tea pots imported from Japan.
• 100% Cotton Quilts Colorful and tropical double-sided cotton quilts suitable for Hawaii weather.
• Tableware and Dishware Kitchen towels, dishware, mugs, placemats, cloth napkins, tablecloths, and aprons.
• Home Decor and Gifts Baskets, tropical art, window treatments, wind chimes, and unique one-of-a-kind gifts from around the world, with regular new inventory arrivals.
• Digital Gift Cards Square e-gift cards sold through Square's platform at squareup.com/gift/ML6Q8718AZAPX/order for gifting occasions.
• Custom Furniture and Rug Orders Custom sofa and sectional orders via Stylus Sofas (Canada, 2-3 month delivery) and custom rug orders via KAS Rugs (two-week delivery), each requiring a 50% deposit at time of purchase.
• Delivery and Assembly Services Local delivery with additional fees for special circumstances (hoisting, stairs, long driveways) and assembly services for furniture for an additional fee.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Local artisansminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2021Collaboration with local artisans on products and occasional evening music events held in the open-air warehouse since May 2021.
• Stylus SofasminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCanadian manufacturer of upholstered furniture. Paradise Plants offers custom sofa orders through Stylus Sofas, allowing customers to select style and fabric with quote provided on the spot. Special order sofas arrive within 2-3 months.
• KAS RugsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRug manufacturer offering custom rug orders. Paradise Plants connects customers to KAS Rugs for custom style, color, or size orders that arrive within two weeks.
• IwachuminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJapanese manufacturer of cast iron tea pots. Paradise Plants carries Iwachu cast iron tea pots known for superior quality, beauty, and lasting durability.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• The Sill: Direct-to-consumer online retailer specializing in houseplants. Comparable in that both companies focus on plant curation as the core retail proposition, though The Sill operates purely online and targets urban mainland consumers rather than Hawaii's tropical gardening needs.
• Bloomscape: Online direct-to-consumer houseplant retailer delivering plants with pots and care instructions. Comparable plant-retail focus to Paradise Plants' indoor plant category, though operating purely digitally and without Paradise Plants' furniture and garden decor extension.

Broad incumbents

• IKEA: Global mass-market furniture and home furnishings retailer. Comparable to Paradise Plants in the indoor furniture category (solid wood beds, dressers, desks, sofas), though IKEA competes primarily on ready-to-assemble affordability while Paradise Plants competes on tropical hardwood durability and import curation.
• Lowe's: National home improvement chain offering plants, garden supplies, patio furniture, and home decor. Comparable as a broad multi-category home and garden retailer serving Hawaii Island consumers; competes with Paradise Plants primarily on commodity garden and outdoor furniture SKUs.
• Home Depot: Largest US home improvement retailer carrying plants, garden supplies, outdoor furniture, and indoor furniture. Overlaps with Paradise Plants across plants, garden supplies, and outdoor furniture categories — represents the commodity-scale competition Paradise Plants differentiates against.
• Costa Farms: One of the largest growers and distributors of indoor and tropical houseplants in North America. Comparable in tropical plant focus and curation expertise; differs in scale (Costa Farms is a major B2B/B2C grower supplying retailers like Home Depot and Walmart, while Paradise Plants is a single-store retailer).

Others

• Crate & Barrel: National retailer of indoor furniture, rugs, lighting, and home decor. Comparable to Paradise Plants' indoor furniture and home decor categories, though Crate & Barrel operates premium-positioned mall and standalone locations versus Paradise Plants' single Hawaii showroom.
• World Market: Multi-category retailer specializing in imported home goods, furniture, rugs, and decor sourced globally. Comparable to Paradise Plants in the imported-home-decor and furniture categories (similar import-led merchandising strategy and tropical/eclectic assortment), though serving mainland mass-market consumers via large store count.

Regional players

• Armstrong Garden Centers: California-based chain of independent garden centers selling plants, garden supplies, and outdoor living products. Closely comparable operating model to Paradise Plants (retail garden center with curated plant selection and gardening expertise), though it serves a larger multi-store California market rather than a single Hawaiian island.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/paradise_plants_hilo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/paradise-plants-home-and-garden-center-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Paradise Plants