Thrillist Launching Honolulu Edition

The local online lifestyle media space will get a little more crowded this week with the Wednesday launch of Thrillist Honolulu, which is adding O'ahu to a growing list of more than 35 cities in the U.S. and Europe covered by the Thrillist Media Group.

The Thrillist network is adding at least half a dozen cities to its network this year, starting with Memphis in January and moving on to Pittsburgh, Milwaukee and Charlotte last month. The company has been posting freelance writing opportunities for Honolulu since at least March (with another gig in Charleston perhaps signaling another upcoming launch).

Thrillist's Honolulu contributors include Pearl City native Summer Nakaishi, assistant editor at Inside Out Hawaii, and Jade Eckardt, a travel writer for USA Today and former managing editor of Big Island Weekly who grew up on the Big Island.

Thrillist already has a sizable Honolulu readership, according to Thrillist communications coordinator Lauren Coombs, though they're currently reading content from the group's Los Angeles edition.

And Hawaii has come up more than a few times across the Thrillist network, including articles like 12 Things You Didn't Know About Hawaii, The 33 Best Dive Bars in America (featuring The Hideaway in Waikiki), and 9 Secret Restaurants You Need to Find (featuring Vintage Cave).

"So, as you can imagine, we’re so excited to officially come to Honolulu and start bringing locals even more stories covering their city," Coombs tells me.

"We've got a dedicated team of local contributors ready to bring our readers the best, from underrated shave ice joints to the newest things people are stuffing into malasadas," said Ben Robinson, editorial director of Thrillist, in a statement. "I know our Hawaii readers are going to be beyond excited to have stories that speak directly to the things they care about most."

The team promises "a wealth of knowledge about where to eat, drink and generally enjoy the city to the fullest," tapping into "Honolulu’s fresh culinary scene."

Thrillist is positioned as a food, drink, and travel brand "helping guys live fun lives." It's corporate siblings include "grooming destination" JackThreads, and "tech-meets-lifestyle" site Supercompressor. Altogether, the Thrillist Media Group boasts 15 million visitors a month.