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Photographs often are the best way to show dramatic changes in Hawaii, providing an easy update on landmarks, persons and events. At other times, however, photos showing minimal changes during the years remind us that the more things change, the more they remain the same. Look for examples of big and little changes every Monday in "It's about time," which will inform, update and prod a few memories.

The evolution of
Ala Moana

Camera Hawaii, 1959

When Ala Moana Center opened 41 years ago, it not only filled
in a former coral-filled swamp (photo aove), it forever altered the
new state's retail landscape. Note that there is hardly anything
obscuring Diamond Head in the background.

Star-Bulletin file photo
The photo above was the view of construction, looking Ewa,
from the Central YMCA building in April 1959.

By Amos Chun, Star-Bulletin
Two photos taken in August 1959 were matched to form this
panoramic. Thousands of people gathered when the $25 million
mall formally opened in August 1959, the same year as statehood.

When the center opened in 1959, there were 87 stores, 680,000 square feet of space, and 4,000 parking spaces. Today, there are 230 stores, over 1.8 million square feet, and 9,000 parking spaces.

Sears remains an anchor tenant, although most of the other stores that were in at the beginning have since left or closed -- among them Standard Shoes, Fashions by Hino, Vimi's, Hub Menswear, Skirts 'N Blouses, Ming's, Andrade, McInerny's, Paul's Jewelry, Shida's Babyland, Aloha Fashions, Carousel, Chandlers French Room Shoes, Carol & Mary's, Interiors Hawaii, Ed & Don's and Sato Clothiers.

By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
Today, a new parking deck at the mauka-Ewa
end obscures Sears (photo above).

By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
As Ala Moana has aged, it has grown -- up as well as outward.
Shoppers could walk a third level in 1999.