Along with the 10 million dollar mall refurbishment came the 24-story, eighty-eight-unit, Regency At Kahala condominiums. The first two and three bedroom units were leased in August 1969 and went for between $39,300 and $79,700. Today, the same abodes would cost upwards of $1,250,000!
Advert from The Regency At Kahala
"Cool-carpeted-covered." The roofing renovation was finished in June 1970. By 1973, an octagonal Joseph Magnin had opened. Likewise, the Lunalilo Freeway-Interstate H-1 now ran along the mall's northern perimeter. With these improvements, KAHALA MALL covered 350,000 leasable square feet and contained forty-nine stores. Surface lots, a rooftop deck and 2-level garage provided free parking for 1,700 autos.
Zooming through time, we come to a circa-1987 plan. The defection of J.C. Penney, in early 1985, left the mall in dire straits. The vacant Penney's was sectioned into inline stores and a 5-plex cinema. This renovation was completed in late 1986. KAHALA MALL now encompassed 370,000 leasable square fee and featured seventy-five stores and a second (newly-built) parking garage.
A contemporary photo shows the south facade of the Liberty House...make that Macy's...anchor store. The small white building on the left houses See's Candies.
Photo from http://www.loopnet.com
Here, we see the Longs Drugs store that has operated at WAI'ALAE CENTER-KAHALA MALL since 1963.
Photo from http://www.loopnet.com
Champs Sports' KAHALA store occupied a section of the old F.W. Woolworth. It had opened -in late 1958- as the first Woolworth's on The Islands. Woolworth's went belly up in July 1997. Soon after, Champs (a Woolworth subsidiary) set up shop. This Champs shut down in 2023.
Photo from http://www.loopnet.com
The Roof Deck parking lot has been a KAHALA MALL feature since the 1968-1970 renovation. Two small strip centers, accessed from said Deck, were built. This one was completed in 1989.
Photo from http://www.loopnet.com
