Martin and MacArthur

Martin & MacArthur is Hawaii’s premiere fine furniture maker and purveyor of exquisite crafted furnishings for gracious Hawaiian Living.

Koa, the wood of Hawaii's Ali'i and Monarch

At the time of the King Kamehameha I, Koa wood was prized as the strongest, most durable wood grown on Hawaii Island. It was no surprise that the early Hawaiians used Koa wood for canoes, weapons, spears, shelter, cooking implements, and furniture. Since King Kamehameha hailed from Hawaii Island (also called the Big Island), it is understood that Koa wood from that island was instrumental in his eventual conquest of the other islands in the Hawaiian chain.

By the late 1800's, Koa wood was used to create much of the furniture for the Hawaiian monarchs, who traveled to ports such as England and the mainland United States, bringing back ideas for furniture design they had seen in stately homes there. Furthermore, merchants and missionaries settling into the Hawaiian Islands had furniture built from Koa wood. These early malihinis (visitors) brought with them furniture and design ideas heavily influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement. The clean, simple elements of this design movement were seamlessly integrated into the classic Hawaiian styles. Soon, Koa furniture was being crafted that is now unique to the heritage of Hawaii. Moreover, the beauty and lustrous curl of Koa wood rivals any of the majestic hardwoods found in Europe or the mainland.

Humble Beginnings

Jon Martin started the company back in 1961, at a time when Koa wood and Koa furniture was undervalued and widely ignored, largely because of the popularity ofcheap plastic and metal furniture from the mainland.

Jon saw the need to introduce the grace and beauty of Koa wood furniture to a new generation of Hawaii’s residents. He startedby creating a simple rocking chair, based on designs handed down through generations of Hawaiian missionary families. Jon also knew that the elegance of a Koa rocker reflected the lifestyle of our late Queen Lili'uokalani.

Soon, Martin & MacArthur elegant Koa furniture began to grace magnificent homes throughout Hawaii. He and his team crafted a variety of lifestyle furniture, with the strict adherence to old world quality standards and four poster beds, pedestal dining tables, roll top desks, sofas, love seats, consoles, side tables, bureaus, dressers, and elegant wooden trunks.

Not long after he began building Koa furniture, Jon took on a business partner, Doug MacArthur, who himself was a descendent of the auspicious American army general. Jon's mastery of fine furniture making, together with Doug's business skills, enabled Martin & MacArthur to flourish in the 1960's and 1970's. By the mid-1980’s, Doug decided to retire and move to Hawaii Island with his family. Jon, still with more energy and determination than his forty-something peers, took on a new partner, Lloyd Jones, whose background in the Hawaii construction industry was a good complement.

Made in Hawaii. No ka'oi

Today, Martin & MacArthur employs over 70 professionals with highly specialized skills in the art of crafting fine furniture and home accessories. Locally born, part-Hawaiian, Michael Tam, is now the majority owner of Martin & MacArthur.

Michael spent much of his career gaining invaluable experience as the senior executive leading all branding and marketing for blue chip retailers such as Nordstrom Inc., Starbucks North America, McDonald’s International, and Borders Bookstores.

All Martin & MacArthur furniture is still made here at our Honolulu, Hawaii workshop, unlike all other furniture retailers that import from China and Indonesia. We invest in local industry, including harvesters on Hawaii Island and inter-island shipping companies such as Young Brothers. We have recently purchased state-of-the-art equipment to make the cutting and sanding processes highly efficient. We use best-in-class, computer assisted design (CAD) programs and technology to design every piece of furniture, adhering to the detailed specifications of each customer.

Also notable is the fact that Martin & MacArthur uses Koa wood that has been selectively harvested from plantations on Hawaii Island. In other words, our cutters harvest trees that have fallen over, or trees growing too close to another, or trees that are already dead. This selective harvesting leaves the Koa forests in tact and vital, allowing for healthier growth for future generations.

At Your Service

Martin & MacArthur also has a vibrant Retail Division with new locations planned in four Hawaiian Islands. We work with over 200 local craftsmen and artists to feature their works in our stores. We have the largest selection of Koa jewelry boxes and hand-turned Koa umeke for sale in the State of Hawaii. We work directly with contemporary Hawaiian artisans who are steeped in Hawaiian tradition to create wondrous Hawaiian feather leis; Hawaiian weapons from sharks teeth, marlin bills, and Koa; and Hawaiian Kapa, pounded from paper birch grown right here on Oahu.

Martin & MacArthur has been chosen to create the beautiful Koa and hardwood furniture in most high-end resorts throughout Hawaii, such as the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, the Moana Surf Rider, the Halekulani, the Marriott Ihilani, the Mauna Lani Beach Resort, the Ritz Carlton Maui, and the Four Seasons Maui.

Community Servant

Martin & MacArthur is deeply appreciative of the communities in Hawaii where we work and do business. We believe that the people of Hawaii need and deserve strong vital support from small businesses that are owned and operated locally. We have an obligation and a desire to give back. As such, we work in partnership with the Palama Settlement, Easter Seals Hawaii, Red Cross Hawaii, and the Shriner’s Children’s Hospital of Hawaii. There’s no place better than Hawaii to live and work. For nearly fifty years, we are proud to say, we make the world’s finest furniture from the world’s finest wood. We inspire and elevate gracious Hawaiian living.

No ka ‘oi.

Martin & MacArthur