Mobile coupons have come to Pearl City Shopping Center, via text messaging.

About 300 people opted in to the center's TEXT! SHOP! & SAVE! promotion since it kicked off July 11, according to Marc Inouye of Upspring Media LLC, the center's new media consultant.

The promotion continues through Sept. 5.

Upspring is a unit of AIO LLC, owned by Duane Kurisu, a minority investor in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.

About 15 merchants at the center are participating, “;and everybody has just all different kinds of offers each week.”;

The center sponsors the Upspring-built MyPearlCity.com, that lists weekly specials.

They include bento deals from Bar-B-Q-Inn, double-stamps for purchases at Ezogiku Noodle Cafe, discounts at Ben Franklin Crafts, and from Edward Jones, a complimentary portfolio review, among others.

“;We try to have them change it every week”; to keep the promotion fresh and customers coming through the doors, Inouye said.

Customers opt in by texting “;MYPC”; to 32862 using their mobile phones and receive a welcome message along with a weekly shopping pass.

The passes expire weekly but are automatically replaced by new passes, unless the customer opts out.

Participation is free, but standard text messaging rates apply, said Inouye.

“;The owners of the shopping center and the management wanted to do something for the merchants—these are hard times for everybody—and they saw an opportunity with this texting program,”; Inouye said.

Merchant participation in the promotion is free for the two-month trial period.

Redemptions are trickling in to Leeward Bowl, but the promotion is in its early stages.

“;I know last week we had (an offer for) six lanes during cosmic (bowling) for $75,”; a savings of 50 percent, said Kimo Regohos, Leeward Bowl event coordinator.

“;Of course, we were so busy that nobody could get six lanes.”; A good problem to have. Nevertheless, the bowling alley may make that offer again after school is back in session.

“;This week's special was free shoe rental during open play,”; a $2 savings

Leeward Bowl's offers will either be for bowling values “;or at the restaurant,”; where specials may include a free drink with a meal purchase, he said.

The TEXT! SHOP! & SAVE! promotion “;is pretty interesting, it's the first that I've heard about,”; Regohos said.

The technology for the promotion is being provided by Talisman LBS LLC, led by President Kyle Tanouye and also owned by AIO.

A cheesy prize

The “;Honolulu Hawaiian”; pizza was voted the favorite Domino's American Legends pizza by residents in the western region of the pizza-maker's recent contest—but pineapple topping didn't take the top title.

Domino's divided the contest's 14,000 votes into four U.S. regions, and despite the favor the fruit found in the West, it was the Philly Cheese Steak pizza that found the most fervor among voters in the East, South and Midwest.

The tally? Philly, 3,374 votes; Honolulu Hawaiian, 2,657 votes, and the Cali Chicken Bacon Ranch got third place with 2,040 votes.

Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin. Reach her by e-mail at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).