*Work done under previous firm MGA Architecture.

Located in historic Haleiwa town, Matsumoto Shave Ice has been a Hawaii landmark since it opened in 1951. The owner, Stan Matsumoto hadn’t trusted the architects Honolulu had to offer until he met with Rachel and the team at MGA Architecture for the first ever redesign of the famous shave ice shop. 

Things changed quickly once the design was approved and the team took action. From creating a new courtyard to upgrading the flavor menu, the changes were subtle, but made a big difference in terms of customer service and creating a more efficient use of space. Selling from 1,000 to 1,200 shave ice cones a day, the design had to keep up with the demand of customers dying to try the famous shave ice.

The name “Matsumoto’s” has been synonymous with “shave ice” since the 1960’s when the north shore surf scene exploded the business. With help from some of the best Architects Hawaii has, they can now host more people, serve customers faster, and offer more seating than ever before.

Matsumoto’s Shave Ice building has an unassuming tan exterior usually lined with customers waiting for a taste of Oahu’s most famous shave ice. With flavors from Coconut to Yuzu, there is no shortage of combinations to tickle everyone’s taste buds. The team of architects Honolulu had on the job preserved the simple wood and rustic feel of the original general store. Large, clearly lettered planks of wood display flavors clearly above the counter, so customers know exactly what they want when they reach the front of the line.

The unending line cleverly snakes through an assortment of Matsumoto’s memorabilia like mugs and typical general store snacks on dark wood shelving. Mint green walls line the insides of the store for a calming effect. Beautiful ocean-like aqua paint covers the lower counters in front of and behind the main worktop, which is clean and stark white contrasting the endless colored bottles of flavored syrups. The famous Matsumoto’s logo is proudly painted at the end of the line as the perfect chance for photo ops. The logo gazes towards antique shave ice equipment and a cash register for a look into the past.

On the opposite wall, wooden crates offer beach towels, key chains, and other collectables so customers can conveniently bring their memories home. Overall, the architects Hawaii team did an astonishing job of updating Matsumoto’s Shave Ice without losing an ounce of the charm that made it famous in the first place.