With the help of a fully committed community, Maile Meyer has been a part of starting up a variety of small businesses dedicated to celebrating what is unique about Hawaiʻi, including art, material culture, locally made products and foodstuffs, books, and everything she can find that represents the best of what these Islands produce. These businesses have included Native Books, Native Books & Beautiful Things, Mana Hawaii, Mea Makamae, Nā Mea Hawaii, BookEnds, and Aupuni Place to name a few. All touch on capacity building, personal and community growth and development, creative processes and outcomes. She also continues to work in arts management, public commissions and installations.
Nā Mea Hawaiʻi has been around for about 24 years, as a bookstore and retailer of all things Hawaiian, supporting small producers of cultural products and locally made items. The space includes studio areas for classes, film, workshops, talks and demonstrations. The store is focusing on learning through interaction and experience. They are working in capacity building and community based economic development in creative industries. Supporting artists through its Maoli Arts Initiative (MAI) to assist artists with everything they'd rather not be doing, accounting, pitching clients, insurance, project management, etc. The store is also working on redeveloping the space to include lots of POP UP areas to feature small cottage industries.