Queen's MarketPlace shops set to open

Shops and restaurants at the Queens' MarketPlace, the Big Island's newest retail-dining-entertainment center, will begin opening in October.

Located in Waikoloa Beach Resort, the 135,000-square-foot center will include family-friendly stores and dining options -- such as Pacific Sunwear, Local Motion, Charley's Thai Cuisine and Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar. Both the tenant mix and the design of the center were inspired by Hawaii's melting-pot culture.

When complete, Queens' Marketplace will offer Big Island visitors and residents more than 70 shops and eateries, plus numerous specialty service tenants, offices, a performing arts studio, an outdoor performance garden and a walk-through cultural garden.In addition to shops and restaurants, there will be a gourmet food market, a performing arts studio, the Waikoloa Cultural Garden and Waikoloa Performance Garden.

Conceived by Thos Rohr, president of Waikoloa Land Co., the center's design incorporates elements that are representative of iconic Hawaii landmarks such as Iolani Palace's bandstand, a typical Chinese pagoda, various Hilo Town and Honolulu Chinatown buildings and a traditional Japanese koi fish pond.

"The great thing about Hawaii's architectural style is that there is not just one style but countless distinctive and eclectic looks, all of which play a critical role in shaping the islands' rich history," said Ted Garduque, the well-known Honolulu architect who gave Rohr's vision life.