Easter kind to suburban malls

From staff and wire reports

The early arrival of Easter this year helped Oahu's major suburban malls boost sales in March.

But two major retail centers that are more dependent on tourists -- Ala Moana Center and Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center -- recorded lower sales compared with March 1996.

Here's a look at the numbers for March, the most recent available.

Pearlridge Center: Sales were up 11.9 percent, said Marty Lastner, general manager.

"We got merchants to display items in our (small) Easter house and they sold out," Lastner said. "And we started Friday night country dancing lessons in March and this is bringing people to the mall."

Specialty apparel sales at Pearlridge rose 57.6 percent in March largely due to a new store, Champ's Sports. Sales at recreation and entertainment vendors, including movie theaters, rose 16.6 percent, Lastner said.

He said that a new shoe store, Foot Action, will open in the next few months.

Kahala Mall: Sales rose 10.26 percent compared with March 1996, said Elizabeth Platt, marketing director.

"We've been up for 19 consecutive months," Platt said. "I think that's great especially when we are doing parking renovations and construction which limits our parking until the new parking opens up."

Platt said that while the Japanese market appears to have slowed, the Easter events for children -- egg decorating and photographs -- and popular movies helped bring in local shoppers.

Specialty food store sales rose 44 percent, while entertainment outlets recorded a 29 percent increase in sales over March 1996.

Ala Moana Center: While business was steady it could not match the high levels posted one year ago, said Dwight Yoshimura, general manager. Sales were down 6.6 percent.

Yoshimura said the mall's events to attract shoppers that month included a spring fashion show with actress Tia Carrere and a new products show.

Among the different retail categories, only shoe stores saw a rise in sales, up 10.27 percent, while all other categories were either flat or down, Yoshimura said.

A women's apparel shop, agnes b., opened in March, he said.

Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center: Business in March was down 18 percent, said Charlian Wright, marketing director.

"Part of this is due to the (lower) number of visitors in town, visitors spending less on shopping while they are here, and the yen-to-dollar exchange rate," she said.

Despite the downturn, some categories improved: gifts and souvenirs up 39 percent; fast food, up 21 percent; and specialties, up 19 percent.

Windward Mall: Sales were down 2.5 percent, said spokeswoman Wright.

"Our junior department category increased 13 percent and women's apparel category increased by 7 percent primarily due to a combination of Spring recess, Easter and Prince Kuhio Day holiday falling into the last week of the month," Wright said.

Three new stores are coming to the mall: Spencer Gifts and Yami Yogurt on June 1, and the Nail Studio, a beauty salon for nails, in July.