Shop Till You Drop on Oahu

For the casual shopper or the sophisticated consumer, Oahu is a virtual shopping paradise. Here, shoppers will find a tantalizing variety of independent, locally owned markets and stores, as well as a world-class collection of national retail chains and upscale boutiques that sell everything from handcrafts and uniquely Hawaiian products to lusted-over luxury merchandise.

The major shopping malls on Oahu include: Ala Moana Center; Waikele Premium Outlets; Royal Hawaiian Center; Ward Village, Kahala Mall, DFS Galleria in Waikiki; Haleiwa Store Lots on the North Shore; Pearlridge Center located in Aiea; and Windward Mall in Kaneohe. There are also dozens of independent markets, boutiques and shops. Following is information about these and other shopping venues for you to choose from:

Shopping Centers

Ala Moana Center, located in the heart of Honolulu, is the world’s largest open-air shopping center with more than 290 stores and restaurants to meet your every need. The Center is recognized as having the flagship stores for most major international, national and local retailers. Stores range from surf shops such as Town & Country and Hawaiian Island Creations, to upscale boutiques such as Chanel and Gucci to standard favorites such as Macy’s and Nordstrom. The Makai Market at Ala Moana Center is the largest international food court in Hawaii and one of the largest in the United States with seating for 1,500 people, offering ethnic cuisines from Thailand, Korea, Japan, China, the Philippines, Hawaii, Mexico, and Italy. The Center is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar expansion project that will transform the Ewa end of the Center into an expanded three-level retail space featuring 650,000 square feet of new retail, including a 167,000 square-foot Bloomingdale’s department store, large format retailers, dining, entertainment and 200,000 square feet of inline retailers. The full project is expected to be complete in late 2015.
(808) 955-9517 or www.alamoanacenter.com

Kahala Mall is located near the upscale residential area known as Kahala. This mall features more than 90 shops and restaurants, as well as eight movie theaters. Kahala Mall also has dozens of independent local retailers such as The Vue, a boutique featuring local Hawaiian clothing and gift items, and trendy women’s boutiques, Adore, Ohelo Road, and In My Closet.
(808) 732-7736 or www.kahalamallcenter.com

Just minutes from Ala Moana Center, Ward Village offers an array of more than 100 dining and shopping options, as well as a 16-screen movie theater, at its four retail complexes – Ward Warehouse, Ward Centre, Ward Entertainment Center, and Ward Gateway Center. Ward Centers is comprised of popular national retailers, including TJ Maxx, Nordstrom Rack, Sports Authority and Famous Footwear, as well as locally-owned boutiques that sell everything from designer muumuu and bath fixtures to gourmet cooking items. In fact, more than 70 percent of Ward Centers’ merchants are locally owned and operated. Some of Ward Centers’ popular eateries include Buca di Beppo, Big City Diner, Ryan’s Bar & Grill, and Kakaako Kitchen.
(808) 591-8411 or www.wardcenters.com

Located in the heart of Waikiki, Royal Hawaiian Center has more than 150 stores and services in this three-story complex, offering great shopping, dining and entertainment. Popular shops and restaurants include Kate Spade, Apple, Ferrari, The Cheesecake Factory, P.F. Changs, and more. The center also offers free hula, ukulele and lei making lessons, as well as live Hawaiian entertainment.
(808) 922-2299 or www.royalhawaiiancenter.com

Koko Marina Shopping Center is a quaint, neighborhood center in East Honolulu near renowned Hanauma Bay. Naturally, it’s easy to find stores here that are geared for the watersports enthusiast. In addition to its dive shop, snorkel shop and other merchants who specialize in parasailing and water-skiing, the center also includes specialty retail boutiques that sell everything from beach and surf wear to dog accessories and home furnishings. At Koko Marina Shopping Center, you can also dine at several waterfront restaurants, including the popular Kona Brewing Co., or take in a movie at its theaters.
(808) 395-4737 or www.kokomarinacenter.com

Hawaii’s only two-phased mall connected by a monorail system, Pearlridge Center is located near the Aloha Stadium and Arizona Memorial. The center’s mix of more than 170 merchants is wide and varied, from swimwear to books, stationery to jewelry. Also part of this enclosed mall are restaurants, two food courts and 16 movie theaters.
(808) 488-0981 or www.pearlridgeonline.com

Waikele Premium Outlets is changing the way residents shop. The “mega center,” located in west Oahu, offers a variety of value retail stores and factory outlets. Values can be found at name-brand outlet stores such as Banana Republic, Barneys New York, Brooks Brothers, Coach Factory, and Guess. Waikele Center located right across the street includes Kmart, Lowes Hardware and OfficeMax, to name a few. Shoppers can ride a trolley car between both Waikele Center and Waikele Premium Outlets. (808) 676-5656 or www.premiumoutlets.com

Waikiki Beach Walk offers more than 50 shops and restaurants, including local retailers and eateries such as Mana Hawaii, Aloha Army and Roy’s Waikiki, as well as national favorites such as Quiksilver and Yard House.
(808) 931-3593 or www.waikikibeachwalk.com

Windward Mall is an indoor, two-level mall. More than 110 gift shops, clothiers and food outlets comprise this center conveniently located in the windward suburb of Kaneohe. On Wednesdays 2:30-7:30 p.m. and Sundays 10-2 p.m.nights the mall hosts a popular farmer’s market featuring fresh produce, flowers, snacks, and more.
(808) 253-1143 or www.windwardmall.com

2100 Kalakaua Avenue has already been compared to Rodeo Drive and Fifth Avenue. The 110,000-square-foot luxury center opened in November 2002. Its tenants include Chanel, Gucci, Tiffany & Co., and Tods. The center also showcases Hawaii’s culture and flora, which the developer, the Honu Group, created to bring back a Hawaiian sense of place tying into the recently improved Waikiki theme.
(808) 922-2246 or www.2100kalakaua.com/ www.luxuryrow.com

The new Haleiwa Store Lots (HSL) is a plantation-inspired collection of retail, dining, art and gathering spaces that pay homage to the North Shore’s unique and vivid history, seamlessly merging the old with the new. All merchants are either locally-owned or have roots in the North Shore community. Paying tribute to the former Waialua Store Lots that once operated there as the gathering spot in plantation days, HSL evokes memories of a time when locals would gather among the community’s small businesses and establishments and talk story. www.facebook.com/HaleiwaStoreLots

Bargain Hunting

Aloha Stadium Swap Meet provides bargains, bargains and more bargains! The popular outdoor bazaar is more than just a shopping experience. Hundreds of vendors sell island-style products in booths sprawled across the parking lot of Aloha Stadium, with everything from souvenirs to plants and T-shirts to collectibles. There’s only one secret - arrive early! Open Wednesday and Saturday from 8:00 a.m to 3:00 p.m. and Sunday from 6:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Admission is $1.
(808) 486-6704 or www.alohastadiumswapmeet.net

Located in the heart of Honolulu’s historic Chinatown, Maunakea Marketplace features retail stores and an open marketplace offering fresh produce, meats, seafood and poultry. It is literally a melting pot of ethnic foods, offering Vietnamese, Thai, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino food – everything from pizza to plate lunches and many other types of quick, authentic, inexpensive ethnic cuisine.
(808) 524-3409

Boutiques

Anne Namba Designs uses the ageless beauty of Japanese kimono and obi to create unique contemporary clothing for women. Anne has also launched her own line of wedding attire and recently expanded her designs to include Chinese brocade clothing. Anne’s designs have been featured nationally on “Lifetime” television and are carried in New York’s Saks Fifth Avenue Folio Catalog, Nordstrom, Bergdorf-Goodman, and O‘ahu’s Neiman Marcus.
(808) 589-1135 or www.annenamba.com

Muumuu Heaven, located on Oahu’s Windward side, recycles vintage muumuu into fashionable dresses, tops, skirts, and bags.
(808) 263-3366 or www.muumuuheaven.com

Created in 2003 by two local girls, Fighting Eel’s jersey dresses and tunics are popular with Oahu’s trendy, young women, as well as Hollywood’s young starlets. The clothing line is a blend of sexy and simple. Uncomplicated yet feminine pieces make up the core of each collection. The designs are surprisingly versatile and comfortable, easily worn with high heels or flip flops. While Fighting Eel can be found in boutiques and stores throughout the country, its Oahu locations include downtown Honolulu, Kailua and Kahala.
(808) 524-1472 or www.fightingeel.com

Owens & Co. on the corner of Nuuanu and Pauahi streets is a home accessories and specialty gift boutique. The shop offers a curated collection of hard-to-find and handmade merchandise from independent designers. (808) 531-4300 or www.owensandcompany.com

Native Books/ Na Mea is where the locals go to purchase Hawaii-made products. Specialty products include a variety of island crafts and food products. The stores also feature lauhala hats and bags, hula accessories and instruments, Hawaiian quilts, native plants and flowers interpreted in silver and gold jewelry, paintings and much more.
(808) 597-8967 or www.nativebookshawaii.com

Marvel at the work of more than 450 artists at Nohea Gallery at Ward Warehouse. The store features works from painters, printmakers, woodworkers, ceramicists, glass artists and jewelers – more than 85 percent of whom live and work in the islands.
(808) 596-0074 or www.noheagallery.com

Roberta Oaks is an eco-conscious local brand that is committed to using sustainable materials, such as bamboo jersey and organic cotton, to create its fashionable dresses and tees. Roberta Oaks is sold at several boutiques on Oahu, including Le Grand Marqet, Madison & Co. and San Lorenzo. (808) 428-1214 or www.robertaoaks.com

For antique aloha shirts, jewelry, clothing and other memorabilia, Bailey’s Antique & Aloha Shirts in Kapahulu is the place to visit.
(808) 734-7628 or www.alohashirts.com

Extensive information about the retail environment of Oahu can be obtained through Retail Merchants of Hawaii, an organization consisting of more than 200 large and small retailers and supporting companies. Contact the Retail Merchants of Hawaii at (808) 592-4200.

Resource

Hawaii Tourism Authority / Oahu Visitor's Bureau

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