Black Pot was born because I love discovering new places, but when I look for something to bring home that captures my experiences there, I’m inevitably disappointed. Sure, you can buy amazing, handmade wooden carvings in Kauai…and I have. But these are exceptions. The rule is cheesy souvenir tchotchkes with no connection to the place itself.

I started Black Pot because I wanted to represent the real love people have for the places they grew up, live and visit. We want to honor the spirit of places that stir an emotional connection in you, and we partner with locals to bring these places to life in our products and our content.

We named our company after my favorite place in the world: Black Pot Beach in Hanalei, Kauai. The beach itself is named after a literal black pot used by Henry Kalani Thai Hook, a fisherman who docked his boat at the pier in the early 20th century. He would cook fish and rice in a large black wok at this spot, gathering family and friends to share the day’s fresh catch.

Today, the beach remains a place of community and connection, where people come together to camp, fish, surf and swim. It’s filled with life, laughter and activity, the kind of magical place that inspires people to do spontaneous backflips into the water. We like to think our brand embodies Henry’s idea of sharing your catch with your community and bringing people together in a special place. I hope you’ll join us.

Jesse