Retailers decry the The names should have a familiar ring to long-time Honolulu residents of a certain age -- Spats, Rex's, Bobby McGee's, Annabelle's, The Point After, Marrakech, Infinity.
death of nightclubs
To attract more shoppers, Waikiki needs
to beef up its after-dark offeringsBy Lyn Danninger
ldanninger@starbulletin.comThey were just some of the many Waikiki clubs and discos popular during the 1970s and '80s, places where locals and visitors mingled.
But over time, they closed their doors -- victims of changing tastes as much as increasing rents as Waikiki turned its attention to courting big-spending visitors from Japan with new names like Gucci, Pucci and Prada.
But with the demographic mix of visitors to Waikiki once again in a state of change and competition for visitors from other destinations as intense as ever, bringing back the nightlife to Waikiki was one idea put forth at an International Council of Shopping Centers program yesterday at the Ala Moana Hotel.
A variety of panelists, including representatives from the hotel, retail and commercial real estate industries, looked back at the evolution of Waikiki and also pondered strategy on how to best position it for the future.
From Miles Nishijima, director of Property Management for HTH Corp., came results from guest surveys. They indicated many visitors are disappointed about the continuing emphasis in Waikiki on high-end retail and also the proliferation of signs in Japanese.
"It doesn't sit well even with Japanese visitors who are now going out to Ross and Costco," he said. "There are complaints about not enough entertainment. While Duke's is hot, they are also looking for a more Hawaiian experience."
On the plus side, visitors say they appreciate feeling safe and also comment on the great value of using local transportation.
From Gwen LeBlanc, area director of leasing for Hilton Hawaii Resorts, there was news that visitors complain about high prices for food and retail items in Waikiki.
They also say there is also not enough entertainment -- especially at night, whether for dancing or just socializing, she said.
Moreover, with the island's nightlife now moved closer to downtown Honolulu to areas such as Aloha Tower, the Ward complexes and Restaurant Row, there are few opportunities to socialize with local people in Waikiki. "Guests want fun stuff more convenient to Waikiki," she said.
That change has prompted the increase in visits to other islands, said Sanford Murata, director of the commercial assets division of Kamehameha Schools.
"Visitors only see other visitors, hence the draw to neighbor island locations," Murata said. "We need to turn it around and make it the special place that attracted visitors a generation ago."
Activities such as the city's "Sunset on the Beach" as well as local ethnic festivals received high marks from both industry representatives as well as visitors, said HTH's Nishijima.
While locals also seem interested in attending such events, more needs to be done to bring them back to Waikiki, including making parking easier, said Cheryl Lau, assistant vice president for CB Richard Ellis.
"If there was a compelling reason, they'd find ways to come down," she said.
Bringing the diverse interests of Waikiki landowners together so more change can be accomplished is one of the biggest challenges, said Barbara Campbell, vice president of retail development for Outrigger Enterprises.
Owners also need to share the same vision for Waikiki, said CB Richard Ellis' Lau.
"We need a bigger plan that encompasses everyone, that's our challenge," she said. "Traditionally, all the parties have tried to build a better mousetrap than the competition."
In order to attract a good mix of retailers, entertainment and restaurants in Waikiki that will attract both visitors and locals, Kim Scoggins, retail specialist with Colliers Monroe Friedlander, suggested landowners be creative and not always think of getting top dollar in rent from every tenant.
"Even if they (landowners) have to take an incubator stance on a portion of the mix of tenants, overall they will maximize their return on Waikiki," he said.