Oahu malls had mixed month

Star-Bulletin staff

Statewide retail sales were down by 3.2 percent in September, compared with one year ago, but some suburban centers on Oahu continued to perform well.

The statewide retail sales dropped to $1.50 billion in September from $1.55 billion last month, according to state Taxation Department records.

Pearlridge and Kahala Mall both had strong sales in September but other major shopping centers could not match the good retail sales numbers posted last year.

Here's a look at the major malls' results for September, the most recent month available, provided to the Star-Bulletin by the malls.

Pearlridge Center: Sales rose 17.9 percent, said Heidi DiEugenio, marketing manager. The World of Whales promotion, held two weeks in August and two weeks in September, helped bring in shoppers.

Inspiration Furniture opened in October and Pearlridge now has no vacant space available, DiEugenio said.

Kahala Mall: Business was up 6.91 percent, said Samantha Spain, marketing assistant.

"We had an Aloha Week celebration with a Hawaiian crafts and language day (teaching Hawaiian) on Sept. 20," Spain said.

Ala Moana Center: Sales were down 10 percent, said Dwight Yoshimura, general manager.

"The Japanese market is still soft and there is a slowdown in the Korean shoppers," Yoshimura said. However, he noted that the current sales are being compared with September 1996 which was a good month in a strong year.

Ala Moana is almost fully leased, he said, but many shops were building new spaces in September while relocating within the center.

Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center: Sales fell 13 percent, said Charlian Wright, marketing director.

She said the Aloha Festivals promotions brought in people who helped boost the food kiosk category by 22 percent and restaurants by 4.1 percent. Apparel sales also rose by 4 percent.

"But the value of the yen to the dollar again played a major roll in decreased sales especially in other categories," Wright said.

Windward Mall: September sales were down 8 percent, said spokeswoman Wright.

"September has usually been a good month for sales up to 1996 when we observed our first decrease in a number of years," Wright said. However, an earlier starting date for schools has shifted much of the back-to-school sales to August, she said.

Six new stores are open for the holiday season. They are San Francisco Music Box Co., Hickory Farms, Kay Bee Toy Express, Day by Day Calendar Shop, Windward Dive Center and Mary Zs.