The story of Germaine's Luau begins with Marcia Germaine, who on a trip to Hawaii in the late 1960's fell in love with Hawaii and the informal feel of the "backyard" luau.  

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Marcia was enamored with the "Aloha spirit," genuine hospitality, and rich culture of Hawaii. In particular, she was moved by the food, song, dance, and sense of gracious hospitality she found in the backyard, family luau she had the pleasure to attend. Eventually uprooting herself from her native Chicago, Marcia moved to Hawaii in the early 1970's. Marcia opened Germaine's Luau in 1976 at Sea Life Park, eventually moving the luau to the current location near Barber's Point Lighthouse in 1977. Though Marcia eventually sold the luau in 1986 to Francis and Charlie Higa, owners of the Zippys Restaurants, the company has always sought to fulfil Marcia's original vision of an informal, yet culturally rich, luau. As of 2019, Germaine’s Luau joined the Roberts Hawaii Ohana, and the luau’s roots to perpetuate the cultural traditions and genuine “spirit of Aloha” of Hawaii, is carried out into the future. 

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The Germano family would vacation in Hawaii often throughout the years and have stayed at the same hotel while here. During one of Marcia’s “solo” visits to Oahu, she stayed at the family’s favorite hotel, one of the staff members invited her to their family’s luau “at Grandma’s Hale” and she went and her life changed instantly. After she experienced the true authentic Hawaiian local backyard family party where everyone was related. She determined that “this was the Hawaii that visitors need to experience at a luau.” Something other than the normal tourist things like Waikiki, showroom, touristy Hawaii that was presented to visitors throughout the islands. She wanted not just a “dinner show”, but an event where you may arrive as a “stranger” but will leave as part of the family. She went back to Chicago, diversified and moved her family to Hawaii to start a “Backyard family-type Luau”- as similar as she could to one hosted by the local people of Hawaii when they celebrated family events. She had changed her name from Germano to Germaine, hired Kumu John Piilani Watkins to put together an authentic Hawaiian show. She moved to several locations until she was able to secure a lease to the Stephenson’s property where she settled in- where we’re still at. At that time, guests had to traverse a seriously rocky dirt road through the cane fields to get to the beautiful area on the beach. After learning the history of the property, Marcia built around the coconut trees and structures to keep the “heart” of the “Ohana” alive and part of the story of the luau- background, history, and location came together as part of the heart of Marcia’s purpose. Which Zippy’s continued when they acquired the luau, when Marcia decided to sell her company/event so she could go back to Chicago and care for her elderly mother.  
 

Prior to the development of the present Campbell Industrial Park, the area was lush with vegetation and surrounded with sugar cane fields waving in the gentle breeze. The waters along the shoreline of the estate teemed with fish and other treasures of the sea. 

 
 

The area was the former seaside residence of the Rosalei and William Stephenson & their family. The Stephensons were renowned for their hospitality and enjoyed hosting a Hawaiian Luau as a regular family tradition. 

 
 

To ensure that the family would be forever united and always remain Keiki O Ka ‘Aina (children of the land), individual coconut trees were planted for each member of the Stephenson family throughout the property. The height of the various coconut trees today represents the different generations of family who celebrated aloha in their Hawaiian way of life and enjoyed happy times together. 

 
 

In keeping with the Stephenson family traditions, we have taken special measures to ensure that the “family of coconut trees” remains in the areas they were originally planted and are properly maintained. 

  

Our luau has evolved over the years, but the true spirit of Aloha remains as the defining element of the Germaine’s Luau experience. Germaine's Luau is like no other. The luau's 800-person beachfront footprint is compact, compared to the 1,200-person mega-luau operators. But this more intimate size gives Germaine's its advantage - Germaine's Luau isn't "entertainment," it's a place where guests arrive as strangers, and leave as friends. 

 
 

Germaine's is a place where guests can connect with each other, with the staff, and the culture that permeates the experience. Where others put culture on stage to exhibit to their patrons, Germaine's ensures that their guests participate in the warm aloha spirit, transcending the idea of a show, and making it truly an experience. 

 
 

The intimate scale of Germaine's is more conducive to shaping that special experience and allows everyone to gain a unique perspective of Hawaii and its people. This unique guest experience does not just "happen," it has been nurtured and cultivated by the staff and leadership of the luau. The leadership of Germaine's believes that when staff members feel like an 'ohana (family), that the guests will pick up on that emotion and feel the same as well. After 45 years of developing a strong and unified 'ohana of staff members, this has been the secret to Germaine's success. 

 
 

The vision of Marcia Germaine lives on, stronger than ever. Her initial love for the backyard-style luau, where gracious hosts introduce new friends to each other, has developed into a legendary luau attraction. The essence of the Germaine's brand is timeless, and the staff is cohesive, talented, and focused on the guest. The goal for everyone at Germaine's is to ensure that guests at the luau fall in love with Hawaii as Marcia Germaine did, so that they return to Germaine's Luau over and over again.