Founded by Laurie V. Carlson, it began publishing in the summer of 1991, ostensibly to fill gaps in investigative reporting left by the two main dailies, Honolulu Star-Bulletin and The Honolulu Advertiser, which were under a joint operating agreement at the time, but creating new gaps in taste and perspective.
In May 2005 the Weekly acquired the Kona-based Hawaii Island Journal.
[2] The Hawaii Island Journal published its last issue on Friday, June 13, 2008.
The Honolulu Weekly published its final issue on June 5, 2013, and ceased operations.
[3] Publisher Carlson cited low ad revenues and the failure to find a buyer as among the primary reasons for shutting the paper down.