UKE Republic Ukuleles

  Spreading Aloha One Strum at a Time Since 2007 At UKE Republic, we’ve always had a soft spot for the underdogs, the dreamers, and the builders. So back in 2007, when we were just tuning up our fledgling ukulele shop , we stumbled across a new name on the scene: Kala Brand Music Co. At the time, they were working out of a converted chicken hatchery (yep, you read that right) in Petaluma, California . But there was something special about them—a spark of passion and purpose we immediately recognized. We reached out. Kala answered. And just like that, the beginning of a beautiful uke-lationship was born. Early days repping Kala for UKE Republic Early NAMM days at the Kala Booth From Hatchery to Heavy Hitter Fast forward to today, Kala has become the world’s most popular ukulele brand, and UKE Republic is proud to have been along for the ride since the early days. What drew us in then still holds true now: Kala’s relentless commitment to quality, innovation, and accessibility. Whe...

When you’ve been slingin’ strings and spreading ukulele joy as long as we have, you come to know the brands that really get it . Ohana Ukuleles isn’t just a manufacturer - we’d call them family. Back in the early days, when UKE Republic was fresh on the scene in 2007 and Ohana was still shipping from Louis’s garage, we connected over a shared passion: offering players something more than just an instrument. We both believed in curating experiences, creating community, and carrying only the gear we’d be proud to hand to a friend. Ohana Ukuleles & UKE Republic with uncle Daniel Ho Built on Aloha and Craftsmanship Ohana doesn’t mess around when it comes to quality. From their vintage-inspired SK-28 soprano (a personal fave around here) to their forward-thinking bari-tenors and rare tonewood experiments, they strike a sweet chord between tradition and innovation. Donna has a soft spot for their pineapple models - especially that warm, glossy PKC-25G . And honestly? We don’t blame her...

At UKE Republic, we’re proud to offer instruments with more than just good looks and great tone  -  we seek out ukes that tell a story. And KoAloha Ukuleles? Oh, they sing one. From humble beginnings in Honolulu to global recognition, this family-owned company has carved a name into ukulele history - one lovingly crafted koa uke at a time. Born From Reinvention (and a Whole Lotta Heart) In the mid-1990s, Alvin “Pops” Okami, a creative soul with roots in invention and music, shifted gears after his plastics business folded. Armed with ingenuity and aloha, he built a tiny ukulele that actually played. That spark led to the founding of KoAloha  - a name blending “koa,” the prized Hawaiian tonewood, and “aloha,” the spirit behind everything they do. Soon, the whole Okami family joined in. Pops is now senior VP, Pat “Moms” Okami keeps the books, while sons Alan and Paul handle the helm - one as president, the other as KoAloha’s master luthier. From day one, their family-fir...

  This one's for you! Posted by UKE Republic | Keeping It Strummy Since Day One There’s something magical about the people who find their way to UKE Republic . Maybe it's the sound of four strings calling them home. Maybe it's that offbeat mix of island soul and front-porch friendliness we’ve always aimed for. Or maybe it’s because of you, our incredible uke-loving community, that we’ve come this far. This post is a big ol’ virtual bear hug and tip of the straw fedora to all of you. The Day-Oners To those of you who’ve been with us since our scrappy start, when this whole “let’s just sell ukuleles” idea sounded wild to some and wonderful to others, you know who you are. You remember when our inventory was humble, our signage was handwritten, and we were still figuring out how to spell "setup" correctly on receipts. You believed in us before algorithms and unboxings. You’re the roots of this operation. The Just-Passing-Throughs To the road warriors, road tr...