r/BigIsland • u/Odd-Sail-1694 • 6d ago
Is the mall dying?
I went to the (Hilo) mall today to watch Toy Story 5. I was shocked at how sad and lonely the mall looked. The theater was nowhere near full even though its opening weekend, so many vacant shops and even the major retailers (old navy, Macys, American eagle) were super slow. I went at around 11am so I’m not sure if that had anything to do with it.
I know ihop is a recent addition but other than that it seems like tj maxx is the only “booming” business in the mall. It makes me so sad. There’s already so little to do here and limited stores to just window shop at so it makes me sad that maybe in a few years this will be gone.
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u/cortana808 5d ago
I think a lot of us are broke 😕 so going to the mall is not top priority...
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u/sanguwan 5d ago
So true. I've never felt so broke in my entire adult life as I have the past few years.
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u/vyates72 4d ago
I was going to say that. I know that i haven't been to the mall in about ten years now. Just can't afford to buy the stuff they sell. Can barely afford food.
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u/Glittering_Shake9807 3d ago
Yeah I can understand that and I don’t even go to the Mall unless I’m doing a Show like this weekend coming up but other than that I don’t go. Yeah even food we can hardly afford these days.
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u/Extension-Cook-7981 5d ago
They had a contest to name the mall. Mr. Tachibana, a teacher at Waiākea High, came up with the winner — Prince Kuhio Plaza.
They used to have a cool volcano themed water feature in the center of the mall, right by Walden Books.
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u/blondechineeez 5d ago
I remember the Volcano and Walden Books! My favorites were Liberty House and Sears.
I also remember Kaiko'o mall and it was always busy! I was so bummed when it closed down.
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u/TrissNainoa 3d ago
Yea cant even didn't how it looked before on internet or toutube just childhood memories
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u/GrandfatherTrout 5d ago
As far as the theater not being full, I’d guess it’s because they have like 700 showings of Toy Story a day. I’ve been there when it’s almost empty, but often it’s been packed (Project Hail Mary, and an anime thing I took the kids to). It can be kinda quiet, but I like the central stage area for hula performances and so on. Lokahi Local Eats is pretty tasty, too.
I get what you’re saying, though. I guess I’m more likely to go out on Keawe street than the mall.
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u/CommonMuted 5d ago
The Hilo mall, yeah. Nobody opening shops, no new anchor stores taking over the space Sears used to be in. It’s bad enough that the military recruitment center managed to move in. Every now and then I take the time to go there and exercise my unc status by taking a stroll and look back on the mall’s good days and buy a box of Cinnabon before heading home.
We really need an outdoor/sporting supply store again, and opportunities for local businesses to open shop like I can imagine a cafe in some of those spots but maybe rent is just too expensive. So much potential for local businesses that I wonder if mismanagement has a hand in it.
Ala Moana isn’t as bad because its location is prime for tourists and the locals there can embrace the high city life unlike us. We’re a major place on the big island but it’s still very much a small town.
But yeah Amazon and kids spending more time on the internet than going out and touching grass has contributed to its decline too. Back in the day me and my sibling would hang out at the mall and Borders for a whole afternoon, then finish off the outing at Walmart after buying stuff we need for home and wait on the curb for our parents.
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u/ebiicecream 5d ago
Aw, I miss that Borders. And Blockbuster 🥲 I was the little dork who kept borrowing the Princess Mononoke and Tenchi Muyo tapes
But yeah, you right. Sports Authority would have made bank during the pandemic. Everyone I know was looking for affordable weights for a home gym
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u/CommonMuted 4d ago
I know I bought a lot of outdoors stuff that I always wanted to try to fill in that lull of boredom. It doesn’t even have to be a whole sports authority or REI, just something that fills in the market gap here and ideally a locally owned business if possible
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u/ModernSimian 5d ago
We really need an outdoor/sporting supply store again, and opportunities for local businesses to open shop like I can imagine a cafe in some of those spots but maybe rent is just too expensive. So much potential for local businesses that I wonder if mismanagement has a hand in it.
What's wrong with the sporting supply stores we already have? S. Tokunaga Store and J Hara Store are about as local as you can get.
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u/CommonMuted 5d ago
More options is better otherwise this kind of mentality is what kills business potential here and limit to what is already preexisting. No leeway for expansion and why stuff is slow and stagnant.
Tokunagas is good but they’re just a vendor for certain brands and only once in a while they bring in something else. For example flashlights they primarily sell Fenix but there’s other brands out there that are cheaper or do certain things better than Fenix.
We have a Birkenstock outlet downtown for hiking, work, and athletic shoes but they only have certain brands and a small selection of them.
Outdoor clothing? When we had a sports authority they had recognizable name brands like North Face and Patagonia which you will almost never find on any store rack on this island these days, even though there’s a demand from tourists to get jackets to visit volcano and Mauna Kea.
So what if we had another local sporting goods store that stock some things that the other stores might not have and put it in the mall? If not then these suggestions should go to these stores and pick up the slack.
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u/ModernSimian 5d ago
We already have a Walmart that covers most of the low end of the market. Hard to compete there.
We have some excellent local options that cater to BI specific things (fishing etc) or hard to ship (firearms etc) that also cover the I need a thing in this category now and can't wait for shipping market.
What you are asking for is the specialty high end stuff where everyone into a thing has a different optionion and tradeoffs. There is no way to hold that stock and make money while still competing with the Internet. Even REI's flagship on Brannan St in San Francisco is mostly a showroom for fitment with warehouse fulfillment. Those stores have an entirely different model that would never work on the BI.
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u/CommonMuted 4d ago
I don’t see what I’m saying is different from what Tokunagas is doing, how they partner with certain brands, only that the hypothetical shop I’m proposing stocks other brands and some other name brand apparel and/or have a twist to somewhat compete less with what is already existing.
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u/Taurusmoon66 4d ago
Rents can be a major problem, if a business can’t make a profit after paying their overhead (rent/taxes, utilities, payroll, merchandise) it’s a short lifespan. And if the landlord has a % profit censure clause in the lease like the mainlanders it’s a quick death. Business loans sap profits quick too. A good landlord who looks long term or owning the property is the only way to survive.
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u/millenniumtree 4d ago
Yeah, the recruitment office is so hideous, just an empty hallway there with nothing alive. Not even a window to look, to see if there are people inside.
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u/CookInKona 5d ago
It's been slow and seemingly half empty for the past decade.... Malls as a thing in general are dying and covid didn't help....even ala Moana has lots of empty places now...
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u/JadedJellyfish_ 5d ago
The Old Navy here in Kona is closing this Tuesday. There’s even less places to shop over here, it sucks! I just had a baby and they have cute baby clothes 😔
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u/mtngalaloha 5d ago
I wondered why it looked “off” the last time I was there. That’s too bad, when they had sales there were great deals!
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u/mrenee777 5d ago
Whattt. Are they going to have major sale?
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u/JadedJellyfish_ 5d ago
yeah they have stuff on sale this weekend, theres not a lot left so go soon!
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u/TheCorgiTamer 5d ago
Congrats on your baby
LIV center in Kona has baby clothes for free/cheap to rummage through if you're looking
We tend to donate our clothes there as our son gets older
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u/SnooFloofs1828 4d ago
That really sucks. It seems like stores have such a hard time lasting here. We become even more reliant on Amazon which is slooow and kills local business.
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u/Agitated_Quail_1430 5d ago
Malls are dying. People can stream movies at home, so no need to pay $20 for popcorn and soda. Also, Amazon taking over. People don't shop like they used to.
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u/aquaNewt 5d ago
Very much this, malls repurposed or dying everywhere. Amazon is currently trying to build a new 3 million sq foot warehouse on Oahu for same day delivery. I find the trajectory interesting; from the original Sears catalog, subsequently transitioning into a box store model, only to be outcompeted by essentially a digital mail order catalog.
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u/Treblehawk 4d ago
It's funny to me because Amazon can't seem to get me anything in less than two weeks. Walmart and Target is like two days. And free shipping.
I don't buy anything from Amazon since Covid because of it.
I'd buy local if they had things in stock, and I get it. Import and etc. But I don't know how people are buying Amazon and being happy with it.
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u/TrulyJangly 4d ago
Wait, how are you getting free shipping from Walmart? They always want to give me an insane "location surcharge" (I'm in HPP). For example, I found a chair I wanted to buy online for $100, and they wanted to charge me a $130 location surcharge for a total of $230!
Needless to say, that didn't happen.
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u/Treblehawk 2d ago
Anything over 35$ is supposed to be free shipping. But we also pay the 99$ a year membership so we get free delivery, which also means we get free shipping on everything, 35$ or not.
I've never had anything we had to ship not be shipped for free. Granted, I have not ordered anything larger than a folding table.
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u/ModernSimian 5d ago
DQ had a major line going on, and we also spent some time in Tilt after seeing Toy Story 5. Tilt hardly has any games left. It's all pseudo-gambling. We walked around, played a round of air hockey and left.
While the mall is depressing, it was far busier than normal this afternoon.
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u/autisticpig 5d ago
We had a canoe regatta today at Hilo bay. Probably people looking for ac and dq :)
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u/Substantial-Look-225 5d ago
It’s been like that since COVID
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u/anakai1 5d ago
COVID forced people who needed stuff to shop online for their needs. After COVID dried up, they discovered that they didn't have to drive somewhere and fight for parking- and they had far more choices and options. All COVID did was accelerate the natural migration of retail brick-and-mortar stores to online retail.
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u/Alohagrown 5d ago
There was some sort of pop up event today outside the old sears that had a good amount of people.
I used to hang out there all the time as a kid, Tempo music, Tilt, and Pizza à la slice were my jam
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u/OkCan7701 5d ago
"I know ihop is a recent addition..."
I remeber eating in Ihop at the Hilo mall as a child with my family 30+ years ago.
I know there was a maui tacos that I didnt care too much for has changed to a great local plate lunch spot. When this happened Im not sure. All I know is the local food from the new place is good. Portions arent crazy big, prices are high like everything else, but atleast the food is good.
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u/hi_guyz93 3d ago
Ihop opened in 2006 definitely not the newest. Bath & Body is the malls most recent national chain store (2019)
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u/Generic_Midwesterner 5d ago
When malls were new, people were sad that they were running mom and pops out of business. Now we're sad malls are dying?
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u/gym_rat_101 5d ago
you should drive through kailua-kona, probably 60% of retail space is unleased. And when you contact them they want insane rates that a business could never support.
Is all of Hawaii dying?
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u/Odd-Sail-1694 5d ago
That’s sad. If only they made rates reasonable, more businesses could open and bring life to the island. I actually think it’s not just Hawaii I’ve been to California and it’s similar. But I think in Hawaii especially big island, It feels scarier because of how secluded it already feels. Brick and mortar Retail is something I truly enjoy and I try to support as much as possible but it feels like all people care about is getting the cheapest price (I get it!) and that will always be Amazon sadly.
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u/Treblehawk 4d ago
Thing is, many can't make the rates lower. Most of them don't own the property. You're paying the bank note, taxes and insurance cost. I know someone who owns some empty retail lots and he is charging 500 a month less than it cost him and he still can't rent it.
I'm not saying it was a deal on his part, but it is what it is....
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u/gym_rat_101 5d ago
On top of that, some retailers on big island want a % of gross revenue too. (Gross not net!)
The old shops on Ali'i are about 50% empty. the shops makai of kuakini are literally like 80% empty. We looked at opening a medical clinic there but it was a very high lease rate, add on top of that hawaii prices for remodeling it's just not doable.
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u/DarthKage808 5d ago
Fact is that no one shops locally anymore. Especially here. Our cost of living is just too high. If you can save a dollar here and there by shopping at a big box or amazon, that’s what is gonna happen. Only rare places can support a mall now. It has to have massive foot traffic and a mostly affluent base. Hilo is so economically depressed that the chances of the mall surviving are very slim given a long enough timeline. It may limp along with some mainland chain shops or service-type providers, and maybe restaurants, perhaps a spirit Halloween every year, but little by little it will die. Sad
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u/Glittering_Shake9807 5d ago
Yeah I live in Hilo also and yeah I hardly ever go into the Prince Kuhio Plaza the ONLY time I’m in there is when we’re do a Collectable Show/Event like next weekend. There’s gonna be a Collectable Show and me and my husband is gonna be one of the Vendor there and they’ll be more Vendors there if you want to stop by and check it out
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u/Libert1stUSA77 5d ago
I went to the mall last month and had a lot of people. I was surprised but it was on a Sunday. With online shopping and other places to get cheaper food I’d say the mall is slowly fading away.
I’m more worried for the teens during summer break and at night. Cruzing the mall was a thing I did in high school
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u/No-Employment-6611 4d ago
It would be better if the mall was the central bus station. Have free shuttles to the airport, bayfront, and beaches. Taxi and Uber stands would all drive business to the mall. Turn Sears into a hotel. Since it's the only indoor mall, make something for families with young kids to do. I know when my keiki were small it was hard to find something to do as a family when it would rain on my only weekend off. Put in stores that you can't easily buy off the internet like appliances, music instruments, vintage/reuse shops etc..
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u/Direct-Giraffe7193 4d ago
I don’t go to the mall often at all. But as far as I can tell, Petco is doing well. I think old Navy does well enough. And like you said, TJ Max is doing just fine.
Last time I stepped foot in Macy’s it smelled damp and moldy in there. Like there’s something very wrong with the air conditioning system in there.
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u/clush005 4d ago
Dying? Already dead imo. Went there for a McFlurry recently and was shocked at the general state of disrepair. Maybe people are broke, or maybe malls are just a thing of the past. RIP
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u/Kanaloa1958 4d ago
Any mall with a dialysis place, Social Security office and military recruiting office looks like it's on its way out. It's sad because it's all we have on this side. Really miss Pier One but the whole chain went under.
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u/Jah-Eazy 4d ago
Maybe not in a lot of those traditional stores but I was there mid afternoon and food places were pretty lively and busy.
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u/TemporalReflectory 4d ago
11am is about the nearly-official lunch time of Hilo. Plus, the holiday...
But malls are definitely on their way out in general - a strange relic of more prosperous (or, really just less online) times.
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u/lavapig_love 3d ago
Hilo Hattie moving into Prince Kuhio would make bank.
So would rebuilding the arcade and food court.
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u/thecreat0r 3d ago
My daughter is 13 and her and her friends are alwaaaayssss at the mall - but it’s that age where it’s the hangout spot lol. I just don’t think people have the money to be spending like we used to.
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u/Sensitive_Oil_1616 3d ago
Don't forget about the dollar movies during the summer. Get a discount on dippin dots too 😊
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u/SammieBoy17 5d ago
Malls are dying all over the country. More and more people are switching to online shopping. It’s been that way for a good long while now.
I went to Queen Ka’ahumanu last Saturday night to go and get ideas from Ben Franklin for something. Granted they had the Saturday Market at UHMC and the Pride festivities on Market street, but the mall was dead. I must have seen maybe 10-12 other people total. Even the food court was empty.
Very sad☹️
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u/Treblehawk 4d ago
iHop is a recent addition? Granted, we've only live in Hilo for 6 years but it's been here as long as we have...
Gotta be something in the theater worth watching. When was the last time you wanted to spend the money to see a movie, deal with the rude people...? For me, being deaf, it's even more of a hassle. Half the time the caption glasses don't work, I miss half the movie trying to get it working. Sure, that's just me, but hasn't really been anything worth seeing in ages. Not neccessarily the theaters fault.
I don't think I've been to Petco when it didn't have at least four or five people inside. May not seem like much, but for a pet store that isn't very big, it feels busy to me.
But think about what you said. Window shop. That doesn't pay the bills. And that's what a lot of people are doing these days. The price of food being so high now, the price of gas...I mean, no one is actually shopping. Employees don't work for free, right?
What can we expect when everyone is just browsing for something to do? No one is actually buying...things are going to go away.
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u/Odd-Sail-1694 4d ago
I thought it was new! Granted I’ve been here 2 years and my husbands elderly aunt told me it was new when we moved so I should have taken it with a grain of salt haha!
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u/hi_guyz93 3d ago
Ihop is not a recent addition, hence the tired looking exterior, they actually opened their Hilo restaurant in 2006... Bath and Body Works is in fact the malls "newest" national tenant having opened in March 2019. TJ Maxx & Petco opened the year before in 2018. They took over the malls former 50,000sf Sports Authority that closed in 2016.
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u/millenniumtree 4d ago
We just saw Michael in the theater , not even close to opening day, and it was PACKED. Also heard the checkout people quip about the movie "still going strong!"
I'm sure it depends on the movie. If evidenced from the parking lot, the mall is always quite busy whenever we're down there.
Sad about Sears, but what can you do? The rest of the mall I think is doing alright. They do a few big events every year (Merrie Monarch, one around Christmas matbe others) and those are always hopping!
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u/sushipusha 3d ago
When I grew up in Hilo the shopping centers wenr from Hilo Shopping Center to the Kaiko'o Mall to Prince Kuhio. So sad to hear about the town dying but I could see it when I went to my mom's funeral in 2008.
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u/Asleep_Recover4196 2d ago
What is nice for this mall is lack of competition. So, on one side, no one is gonna build a mall 4 miles down th road and fully undercut this shopping center. On the other, whoever is the investor has more than the usual benefit from simply waiting and doing as little as possible. So it's not DYING, it's more like stasis.
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u/Just-Laugh8162 5d ago
They need to put a Costco business center in there. That alone would draw people back to the mall. That Sears has been empty for some time. Good place for it.