Built in 1910, when sugar dominated the economy and society of Hawai‘i, 1164 Nu‘uanu is a storefront façade featuring design elements characteristic of Honoluluʻs Chinatown, such as exposed brick columns; wood frame, clear glass clerestory and display windows; a metal canopy with a decorative edge; and a parapet silhouette. The building began its life divided into two small stores, one of which includes a small office. By the late 1920ʻs the building was a “Bake House,” and later became a pool hall during the era before and after World War 2. In the postwar year, the building reverted to a storefront again - at one point housing a barbershop and a Chinese medicine shop. The building is included in the National Register of Historic Places as a portion of the Chinatown Historical District and is also listed on the State Register of Historic Places as a portion of the Chinatown Historic District.

It was purchased in 1986 by the artist Pegge Hopper, who undertook extensive renovations to create a gallery and artistʻs loft. Through Peggeʻs efforts, the building and the many arts exhibitions it hosted, were an anchor for the arts in Honolulu and the revitalization of the Chinatown district.

In August 2020, the building was re-named Arts & Letters Nu‘uanu. We host rotating artists’ exhibitions while also housing a complementary set of creative and community enterprises:

• Native Books

• Waiwai Collective

• Mezzanine Prints