Shop a Le'a

Ala Moana shoppers celebrate new stores with a weeklong festival

There are hoolauleas that celebrate music, dance and culture, and next week Ala Moana Center introduces a new concept, Shop a Le'a, for all who love shopping.

The center will be celebrating its expansion with the weeklong festival, running Monday through March 9. In addition to daily events hosted by merchants, highlights include fashion shows, demonstrations by hairstylist Oscar Blandi, makeovers by US Weekly's style guru Steve Kemble, cooking demonstrations by local chefs, a fashion seminar by celebrity stylist Mark Allan Harmon and more.

CenterStage will be transformed into a Shop a Le'a entertainment venue, home to demonstrations and seminars on fashion, beauty, lifestyle, home entertaining, family, travel and cuisine.

The event coincides with the opening of the state's first Nordstrom department store, marked by Nordstrom's nearly sold-out gala fashion event on Wednesday night, as well the grand opening of 16 retailers in a new two-level wing and a VIP Preview Night March 6.

Only 500 will be admitted to the VIP party to be the first to shop in the new 100,000-square-foot, two-level retail wing. Admission is $40, with tickets available at the Customer Service Center and proceeds benefiting Hawaii Habitat for Humanity. The evening will include sampling of desserts from Caf Laufer, Romano's Macaroni Grill, Roy's, Ruth's Chris Steak House and the Pineapple Room, cocktails and entertainment. Guests will also receive a commemorative Shop a Le'a minitote. The canvas tote will be free to all shoppers with $75 in center receipts dated March 3 to 9. A Shop a Le'a zippered cosmetic bag containing samples of spring beauty products will also be available free with $300 in receipts.

And, to emphasize the idea of bringing a little of New York City to Honolulu, shoppers will be able to enter a drawing for a shopping trip for two to Manhattan, valued at $10,000.

The grand prize includes coach round-trip air for two, eight days' and seven nights' hotel accommodations near Times Square, airport limousine service, a $1,500 American Express gift card, $1,000 shopping spree and style consultation at Diesel New York, an evening of haute cuisine, two evenings of Broadway shows and a hair and makeup trend update for two at the Aveda Lifestyle Salon in New York.

What's new

Opening March 7

Ann Taylor *
Bare Escentuals
Blue Hawaii Lifestyle
Chico's
Design Within Reach
J. Crew-on-the-Island
Janie & Jack
LeGrand Marqet
Lululemon Athletica
Max & Co. *
Ponte Vecchio
Sunglass Icon
Vera Bradley
White House/Black Market *
Williams-Sonoma *
Wolford

Opening soon

Anteprima Plastiq
Ash & Diamonds
Brighton Collectibles
Club Monaco
Kahala
Metropark
Miki House
Philip Rickard Factory Showroom
The Kiss
True Religion Jeans
*Relocation