The most frequently asked question I get that has nothing to do with exit multiples is about the shirts. Scott, you wear Aloha shirts everywhere — at business meetings, in London, in Tahiti, on stage, in YouTube videos. You have 4,000 videos in Aloha shirts. What are they and why. The answer is Reyn Spooner. And if you do not know Reyn Spooner, you are about to. Filmed at Hawaiian Hilton Village, Waikiki, Oahu. Find them at reynspooner.com and at the Reyn Spooner store at the Hawaiian Hilton Village — ask for David.
What is Reyn Spooner and why is it different from other aloha shirt brands?
Reyn Spooner is a Hawaiian shirt brand that has been making aloha shirts since 1956. What makes them different is the spooner kloth — a cotton-polyester blend specifically developed for the Hawaiian climate that holds color, resists wrinkling, and breathes. The print is inside-out on most designs — the reverse print gives the fabric a softer, more faded appearance that looks intentional and polished rather than loud. When you see someone wearing a Reyn Spooner and you know your aloha shirts, you recognize it immediately. That recognition is part of what makes them worth the investment — they are not just shirts, they are a signal to people who know quality that you know quality too.
Why do you wear aloha shirts to business meetings instead of a suit?
Because the aloha spirit changes the energy of every room it enters. A suit puts people on guard — it signals formality, hierarchy, and distance. An aloha shirt — a well-made one like Reyn Spooner — signals warmth, confidence, and approachability. People walk up and start talking. The conversation starts easier. The relationship starts faster. I have been in boardrooms in London, on ferries in Tahiti, in hotel lobbies at the Savoy, in consulting sessions in Sacramento — and the Reyn Spooner is always the right shirt. The aloha spirit is not about being casual. It is about being open. That openness is a business asset in every conversation, in every country, at every level of the deal.
Where do you buy Reyn Spooner in Hawaii?
The Reyn Spooner store at the Hawaiian Hilton Village in Waikiki is the one. The store is at 2005 Kalia Road, Honolulu, inside the Hilton Hawaiian Village complex. Ask for David. David has been helping me buy shirts for 12 years — he knows the inventory, he knows what just came in, and he knows what fits. If you walk in and say Scott Bell sent you, David is the guy. There are other Reyn Spooner locations in Hawaii — Ala Moana Shopping Center carries a selection — but the Hawaiian Hilton Village store and David specifically is the experience worth having if you are serious about the brand.
How many Reyn Spooner shirts do you own?
About 400. That number is not an accident or a joke — it represents roughly 20 years of buying a few every trip. I am in Hawaii every other month. Every trip I go see David and pick up what is new. The collection spans every era of the brand — classic Hawaiian prints, modern collaborations, collector editions, and the everyday workhorses I wear in YouTube videos. The sizing is consistent across the entire line — I know exactly what I wear, I walk in, David pulls the size, and I am done. Consistent sizing across 400 shirts and 20 years is one of the operational reasons you stay loyal to a brand. It removes friction from a purchase I make every six weeks.
What is the reverse print on Reyn Spooner shirts and why does it matter?
The inside-out or reverse print is one of Reyn Spooner’s signature design elements. On a standard printed fabric the pattern is on the face of the fabric and looks vivid and sharp. On Reyn Spooner’s spooner kloth the print is applied to the reverse side — the pattern bleeds through to the face of the fabric in a softer, slightly faded way. The result is a print that looks refined rather than loud. In a room full of aloha shirts the Reyn Spooner stands out because it looks different — more considered, more intentional. That subtlety is exactly right for business contexts where you want the aloha spirit without looking like you grabbed a shirt from a souvenir shop on your way to the meeting.
Are Reyn Spooner shirts recognized internationally?
Yes — by people who know aloha shirts. Two weeks before filming this video I was on the ferry between Tahiti and Moorea and a man in a Reyn Spooner spotted my Reyn Spooner from across the deck. That immediate recognition — the nod, the acknowledgment — only happens with certain brands. Two years ago in the lobby of the Savoy in London a stranger walked up and asked if I was from Hawaii just from the shirt. When he realized it was a Reyn Spooner he knew exactly what it was. That level of international recognition among people who care about quality clothing is not accidental. It is a 70-year brand with a specific aesthetic that travels well and signals something specific about the person wearing it.
What is the aloha spirit and how does it apply to business?
The aloha spirit is a Hawaiian concept rooted in mutual regard, warmth, and the extension of genuine welcome to everyone you encounter. In business it translates to approachability — the quality that makes people want to talk to you rather than feel intimidated or evaluated by you. The aloha spirit in a meeting creates the conditions where trust builds faster, conversations go deeper, and decisions get made with less friction. It is not about being less professional. It is about being more human. After 20 years of wearing Reyn Spooner in business contexts across multiple countries I can tell you the shirt is the fastest signal available that says the conversation is going to be easy, comfortable, and real. That signal is worth more than any suit in most of the meetings I have ever been in.
Why is consistent sizing important when choosing an aloha shirt brand?
Because once you find a brand that fits you correctly you should never have to think about it again. With Reyn Spooner I walk in knowing my size, I pick the print I want, and I am done. No fitting room, no guessing, no disappointment. After 400 shirts over 20 years the sizing has been consistent enough that I can buy online with confidence or walk into any Reyn Spooner location in the world and get the same result. That consistency is a quality signal — a brand that maintains consistent sizing across decades of production is a brand that takes manufacturing standards seriously. The same principle applies to the materials, the stitching, and the print quality. When a brand holds its standards across 70 years you can trust it.
What is the Hilton Hawaiian Village and where is the Reyn Spooner store?
The Hilton Hawaiian Village is a large beachfront resort complex in Waikiki at 2005 Kalia Road, Honolulu, Hawaii 96815. It sits on the western edge of Waikiki Beach on the shore of Oahu. The Reyn Spooner store inside the complex is one of the best locations in Honolulu for the full brand experience — not just the shirts but the full Reyn Spooner lifestyle collection including shorts, swim trunks, and accessories. If you are visiting Oahu and you want to come home with a legitimate piece of Hawaiian fashion that you will actually wear for 20 years, this is the stop. Get there when David is working. Mention Scott Bell.
How long has Reyn Spooner been making aloha shirts?
Reyn Spooner was founded in 1956 by Reyn McCullough and Ruth Spooner in Honolulu. Nearly 70 years of production — through multiple ownership transitions and changing fashion cycles — and the brand remains the reference point for quality aloha shirts among people who know the category. The longevity is not accidental. The spooner kloth, the reverse print, and the consistent sizing have been brand signatures since the early years and they remain the defining characteristics today. Brands that survive 70 years in a fashion category do so because they did something right from the beginning and did not abandon it when trends changed. Reyn Spooner is the example in aloha shirts.
Related: Scott Sylvan Bell in Hawaii — The North Shore Office | Il Gelato Haleiwa | Paalaa Kai Bakery | Consulting in Paradise | Exit Ratio 360™ on Amazon
About Scott Sylvan Bell
Scott Sylvan Bell is a mid-market exit strategy consultant and the creator of the Exit Ratio 360™. He has worn Reyn Spooner aloha shirts to business meetings, consulting sessions, and video shoots across multiple countries since 2008. He filmed this video at the Hawaiian Hilton Village, Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii. His book Exit Ratio 360™ is available on Amazon. Learn more at scottsylvanbell.com.
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Full Video Transcript
One of the most frequently asked questions that I get is, Scott, you wear Aloha shirts everywhere you go with a jacket at business meetings, abroad, everywhere around the world, and you’ve got like 3,500 YouTube videos with aloha shirts. What are they? Why do you wear them? This is a fantastic question. I’m Scott Sylvan Bell coming to you live from Waikiki on a perfect day to talk about clothes, aloha shirts, Reyn Spooner. And a fantastic day to talk about you.
So I started visiting the islands probably about 20 years ago, and I kept hearing like, you got to get this brand, you got to get the Reyn Spooner, you got to get the Reyn Spooner. So I go to the store at Ala Moana, I fall in love. These are freaking ridiculous. I love them. I love the shirts. I love how they’re made. I love the colors, I love the shape. I could go in, I could get a 2X, I can perfect — done. So I’m addicted. I have like 400 of them.
So when I get these shirts, there’s a couple things that I want to go over with you that I think is the coolest thing ever. The print is inside out, right? So when you’re looking you’re like, wait a minute, that shirt kind of looks like it’s different. It is, and it’s awesome.
So the reason that I go with aloha shirts everywhere I go is because it takes aloha spirit. It’s opening and it’s warm. People walk up and they’re like, hey, we can just chat, and everything’s going to be good. It’s not stuffy, like a suit. So I’m in London two years ago, I’m in the hotel lobby at the Savoy, and this guy walks up to me, goes, hey, you from Hawaii, right? No, I just got my Aloha shirt on, and I’m good to go. And he looks and he’s like, hey, wait a minute, is that a Reyn Spooner? Dude, you know your shirts. Instant recognizable from people who know their aloha shirts.
Last week, I’m in Tahiti, and I’m on the ferry between Tahiti and Moorea, and there’s a dude in a Reyn Spooner, and it’s like I give him that hey what’s up man, he’s like hey. It’s just internationally known. If you got an aloha shirt, you’re friendly, you’re known. And it brings the aloha spirit to meetings, to events, and it’s just relaxing.
So why do I get them? Consistent in sizing. They’re freaking awesome. The material is good. And I’m gonna give you a bonus. There’s this dude that works at this store that’s been helping me buy shirts for 12 years. His name’s David, and David is the dude. Every time I’m in town — every other month I’m in Hawaii — David. Come and see what you got, I need to get a shirt. David is the guy.
So if you’re like, hey, where do I get my Reyn Spooner aloha shirts — Hawaiian Hilton Village. Reyn Spooner here. David’s the dude. Talk to him. Aloha. Mahalo.