Our Story

 
Ray portrait.jpg

Ray Kobayashi, owner of RK Woods and RK Builders, is a building contractor extraordinaire and a master craftsman who oversees other excellent wood artists.

Ray and Gloria Kobayashi’s 50-year marriage has always been a partnership in business and in life.  They met at a real estate convention in Honolulu.  When Ray discovered that he had more fun building homes than selling them, he started R.K. Builders, Inc. in 1974.  The company has built over 600 homes in almost every subdivision in East Hawaii.   

After he purchased a 100-acre ohia forest in Pahoa, Ray built a 16,200 sf warehouse and installed four kilns to dry local woods, especially koa.   He used koa in many of his homes, but his two masterpieces are his own home in Waiakea Uka and a three-story Japanese castle in Kaiwiki.  Every room in these homes features koa, mango, ohia, robusta, and sugi pine, all local woods grown on the Island.  Since the price of koa has skyrocketed, he doesn’t think it’ll be possible to rebuild these homes.

When the local Fire Marshall told him he had to move the koa off the floor at his warehouse at the Shipman Industrial Park, Ray decided to create koa rocking chairs, jewelry boxes and urns.  That is how R.K. Woods got its start.  With a CNC router and laser, the product line has expanded to include custom wooden signs, sculptures of mermaids and sea creatures, cutting boards and lazy Susans.  Experienced woodworkers are now affiliated with the company and they create high-end tables, chairs and cabinets.  The designs evolve to use every piece of the precious koa, mango or monkeypod that Ray has acquired. 

-Ke Ola Magazine - Island Treasures

Gloria Kobayashi

After 45 years as a librarian and as a Realtor, Gloria has found that both experiences have taught her the skills to open and operate the RK Woods Gallery and launch the corresponding website and web store in July, 2020. She worked with the team to establish the logo, website, and interior look of the gallery and is in charge of inventory, pricing, billing and advertising. Special students and friends help man the gallery four days a week. Contact Gloria at (808)959-4060 for more information about the Gallery.

Our Talented and Experienced Craftsmen

  • Roseanne McGuire, Operations Manager

    Since graduating from Toronto's George Brown Academy of Applied Arts and Technology with a specialty in woodworking, Roseanne McGuire has spent over 40 years making fine furniture and art pieces for clients in Los Angeles and Hawaii. As Operations Manager for RK Woods, Hilo, she guides a talented team which enjoys crafting both exquisite keepsakes and larger pieces of impressive furniture from exotic woods such as Koa and Mango.

    Roseanne is quick to say that RK Woods Hilo is not only a place of special woods but also a place of special people who love their work.

  • Vedad Kulalic, Master Craftsman

    Vedad’s “Cloth Table” is the centerpiece of the RK Woods Gallery. People can’t believe it’s really wood. His other one-of-a-kind pieces include the Waterfall table, intricate platforms and chairs. Vedad is originally from Bosnia, then New York and Honolulu, and, finally, to Pahoa.