Mall contests helped in Feb.

Star-Bulletin staff

Romance helped boost sales in February for two suburban retail centers that had contests centered around Valentine's Day.

But two of Hawaii's top shopping malls for tourists -- Ala Moana Center and the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center -- likely would have loved to see more shoppers as their February sales fell compared with the same month last year.

Pearlridge Center gave away a "Dream Wedding" to the contestants with the best reason for wanting to be married at the shopping center. May and Benny Hafkamp of Waipahu won the contest, and a honeymoon at the Turtle Bay Hilton.

"He actually proposed to her in front of See's Candies," said Heidi DiEugenio, Pearlridge marketing manager. The couple, who were married by a justice of the peace, will have another ceremony Oct. 25 at the Pearlridge center court, DiEugenio said.

Kahala Mall also had a contest with the prize a weekend at the Kahala Mandarin Hotel.

Pearlridge Center and Kahala Mall both had February sales increases compared with February 1996, while other top malls again showed declines, according to management at the centers. Here's a look at the numbers for February, the most recent available.

Pearlridge Center: Sales were up 15.3 percent, said DiEugenio. Champs Sports was the biggest contributor to the specialty retail category while athletic shoes pumped up the shoe category, she said.

Strong categories were: specialty apparel, up 54.5 percent; shoes, up 30.6 percent; and specialty retail, up 11.5 percent.

Kahala Mall: Sales rose 6.9 percent, said Elizabeth Platt, marketing director. "Frank De Lima came in (before Valentines Day) and we had our first 'Love in Marriage Game'," Platt said. "Couples sent in their marriage proposals and we chose the four most romantic." De Lima asked questions of the four couples to determine the winner.

Strong categories in February were: specialty food, up 38.6 percent; women's apparel, up 28 percent; and gifts, books and stationary, up 26 percent.

Ala Moana Center: Sales dropped 6.9 percent, said Dwight Yoshimura, general manager.

"The economy is still soft and the yen-to-dollar ratio is a factor (because Japanese tourists have fewer dollars to spend)," Yoshimura said.

Sales of shoes were up 34 percent but all other categories were down. Shoes were up with the addition of the Ferragamo and Nine West stores, he said.

Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center: Business in February dropped 22 percent, said Charlian Wright, marketing director.

"The visitor industry still shows a decrease in hotel room nights for this month," Wright said. The Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center is affected more by this drop because of its location, she said.

Windward Mall: Sales fell 1 percent, said spokeswoman Wright.

These retail categories recorded gains for the month: shoes, up 19 percent; junior department stores, up 9 percent; and home furnishings, up 4 percent. "These specific categories are the areas in which value-conscious customers tend to spend during this tax preparation season," Wright said.