Wal-Mart Kauai may get groceries

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans to expand its Kauai store into a "supercenter" that would include a full-service grocery store -- its first in the state.

The Lihue store would be an island testing ground for the supercenter format, which the Bentonville, Ark.-based corporation has been rolling out through the rest of the nation. Hawaii is one of three states that do not have a Wal-Mart supercenter.

"We have 2,000 supercenters in the U.S.," said Wal-Mart spokesman Kevin McCall. "Certainly, we know the grocery business. But we want to make sure we have the local flavor, and include certain items."

McCall said Wal-Mart already buys $150 million worth of local goods from the islands.

"We're excited about the opportunity to expand the goods we buy in the islands," he said.

Wal-Mart has submitted an application to Kauai County's planning department, but the item has not been scheduled for hearings.

Wal-Mart wants to expand its Kauai store from about 119,000 square feet to about 215,000 square feet.

Last week, Wal-Mart celebrated the grand openings of two expanded supercenters on the mainland -- one in Springfield, Ore., and one in Chino, Calif. Both are more than 200,000 square feet with a grocery store that includes a bakery, deli, frozen section, meat, dairy, fresh produce, and beer and wine.

McCall said decisions to expand other Wal-Marts in Hawaii to supercenters would be determined case by case.

"Certainly we would consider our options, and evaluate in the future how to best serve customers in other parts of the state," he said.

Kapolei First, an activist group that opposes Wal-Mart in Kapolei, as well as the United Food & Commercial Workers Union Local 480 support a Honolulu City Council resolution to change the city land-use ordinance to block supercenters from Oahu.

The resolution -- introduced in July -- defines a supercenter as a store measuring more than 90,000 square feet, with more than 20,000 square feet dedicated to groceries and more than 25,000 items.

Hawaii is home to eight Wal-Mart discount stores and two Sam's Clubs. Wal-Mart on Kauai opened in 1995.

Wal-Mart is planning its ninth store in Kapolei, which it has said will not be a supercenter, but similar in size to its Pearl City store, at about 140,000 square feet.

The Kapolei Wal-Mart is slated to open in 2008.