HAWAIIAN SHOPPING MALLS RANKED BY BY SIZE 2009:

1. ALA MOANA CENTER (2,100,000) [1959], Honolulu [O'ahu]
2. PEARLRIDGE CENTER (1,250,000) [1972], Aiea [O'ahu]
3. KA'AHUMANU CENTER (572,896) [1972], Kahului [Maui]
4. KAHALA MALL (542,000) [1970], Waialae [O'ahu]
5. WINDWARD MALL (518,100) [1982], Kaneohe [O'ahu]


ALA MOANA CENTER
Ala Moana Boulevard and Piikoi Street
Honolulu, Hawaii

In August, 2009, as the Aloha State celebrated the 50th anniversary of its admission into the Union, it could also have commemorated the grand opening of its first shopping mall. The islands were officially admitted into the Union August 21st, 1959 and the first shopping mall in the newly-formed state had held its grand opening on August 4.

ALA MOANA ["ah-lah mow-ah-nah"] CENTER was built on the island of O'ahu ("The Gathering Place") , within the city of Honolulu. It was situated on a 44 acre tract, midway between Waikiki Beach and downtown.

The complex was erected upon reclaimed swampland and developed by the Dillingham Land Company, who commissioned Seattle's John Graham, Jr. to design the structure. It cost 25 million dollars, encompassed 680,000 leasable square feet and was anchored by a 2-level (250,000 square foot) Sears.

The open-air mall had two levels and featured eighty-seven tenants. These included F.W. Woolworth, Longs Drug, a Foodland supermarket and Japan-based Shirokiya department store. The retail core of the mall was surrounded by a bi-level parking deck that accomodated over four thousand cars.

The first expansion of ALA MOANA CENTER was completed in 1966. This tri-level addition, referred to as the Diamond Head Wing, included a 3-level (245,000 square foot), Honolulu-based Liberty House (the new flagship of the chain), as well as a 3-level (180,000 square foot) J.C. Penney.

Shirokiya also relocated into a new 53,000 square foot store in the new wing. In addition, the existing Sears was expanded with a full third level. The store now encompassed 341,100 square feet.

Commercial competition arrived in September 1970, with the completion of KAHALA MALL, which was located 4.7 miles southeast, in the Waialae section of the city. Added to a circa-1958 Liberty House, KAHALA MALL is noteworthy as being the first enclosed shopping center in the state. Next in line was ROYAL HAWAIIAN CENTER (1979), 1.2 miles southeast, in Waikiki.

Liberty House at ALA MOANA CENTER was enlarged, with a fourth level, in 1980. The store now encompassed 326,600 square feet. The next renovation of the shopping venue took place in 1987. The Makai Market Food Court, one of the world's largest, was added to the Street Level of the mall and existing stores on the south side of this lower level were extended into the parking area.

In 1990, an extended Third Level was built atop the original bi-level part of the mall. The fourth expansion of ALA MOANA CENTER added a new 3-level (161,000 square foot) Neiman Marcus to the south side and new retail space to the Third Level. This project was completed in 1999. In May of the year, the center was purchased by Chicago-based General Growth Properties.

The new century brought more changes. Liberty House was "Macy-ated" November 22, 2001. J.C. Penney closed January 10, 2003, with its area being sectioned into thirty new stores and restaurants. Moreover, a fourth mall level, the Ho'okipa Terrace, came inline in 2004 and 2005.

In 2006, work began on the Mauka Wing, a sixth addition to ALA MOANA CENTER, which consisted of a 3-level (220,000 square foot) Nordstrom and 80,000 square feet of new stores.

The expansion was dedicated March 7, 2008. It increased the gross leasable area of the mall to 2,100,000 leasable square feet, confirming its position as the largest open-air mall in the world.

Sources:

"Ala Moana Center" article on Wikipedia
www.historylink.org / Essay # 140 / "Graham, John Jr. (1908-1991)" / Article by Heather MacIntosh
"Liberty House" article on Wikipedia
"Hawaii" article on Wikipedia
"Shirokiya" article on Wikipedia
www.alamoanacenter.com
www.ggp.com (General Growth Properties)