Kāhala Mall — the first enclosed, air-conditioned shopping center in the Islands — celebrates its 55th anniversary in October.
“Celebrating 55 years really means the world to us, and we truly couldn’t have done it without the incredible partnerships we’ve built with our merchants, the loyalty of our customers and the unwavering support of this amazing community,” General Manager Ezy Paeste said in statement. “Over the years, we’ve witnessed so many special moments unfold here — teens landing their first jobs, couples on their first dates, families and friends turning visits into lasting traditions. Some folks have been coming here for generations, and now we’re seeing their children and grandchildren strolling through the same halls. It’s been an absolute honor to be part of those memories and to grow alongside this community through the years.”
Now home to nearly 100 retailers, restaurants and service providers, the East Honolulu retail hub opened in 1970. But its origins date back even earlier.
In 1967, developers Phillip Lyon and Sheldon Gordon formed Kahala Center Co. to redevelop the open-air Wai‘alae Shopping Center into Hawaii’s first fully enclosed, air-conditioned shopping mall, now known as Kāhala Mall. It's pictured here in 1968. (Kāhala Mall) 
McInerny at Kāhala Mall (Kāhala Mall) 
Wai‘alae Shopping Center in 1958. (Kāhala Mall) 
The old Center Court at Kāhala Mall (Kāhala Mall) 
The interior of Kāhala Mall is pictured here in an undated photo. (Kāhala Mall) 
Kāhala Mall is pictured here in 1971. (Kāhala Mall) 
India Imports International is pictured here in Kāhala Mall in an undated photo. (Kāhala Mall)
What was then called the Wai‘alae Shopping Center opened in November 1954 by Bishop Estate, according to a timeline included in a recent announcement from the mall. It featured a Piggly Wiggly grocery store, later Star Market, and Longs Drugs, and had the state's first Woolworth variety store and Wai‘alae Bowl.
In 1957, Kāhala Barber Shop, which is still in operation today, opened in phase 2. The next year, Liberty House opened in a 70,000-square-foot space.
Here are some more timeline tidbits:
1967: Developers Phillip Lyon and Sheldon Gordon formed the Kāhala Center Co. to redevelop the open-air Wai‘alae Shopping Center into the state's first fully enclosed, air-conditioned shopping mall.
1969: Construction begins and the existing anchor stores — Longs Drugs, Liberty House and Star Market — remain opened. The H-1 freeway is also under construction at the same time.
1970: Kāhala Mall officially opens, with anchor tenants that include JC Penney, Longs Drugs, Liberty House, Star Market and other early merchants like Yum Yum Tree, Zales, Kāhala Barber and Reyn's.
Late 1970s: Compleat Kitchen opens in 1976 and Calista by Cotton Cargo opens in 1979. Both shops are still open today.
1986: Consolidated Theatres opens its eight-screen complex, which underwent a complete renovation in 2020-21, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
1987: California Pizza Kitchen opens its first restaurant in the Islands — and the first outside of California.
Other long-term tenants include: Pizza Hut (1986), Jeans Warehouse (1987), The Paperie (1991), Marsha Nadalin Salon & Spa (1993), Sanrio Surprises, GNC (1996), Claire’s, American Savings Bank (1997), GameStop, Pictures Plus (1998), Panda Express (1999) and Chili’s (2000).
1996: Starbucks opens its first Hawai‘i location at Kāhala Mall.
2006: Flash flooding on March 31 damages about 60 of the mall's 90 businesses but the mall quickly reopens.
2008: Whole Foods Market opens its first Hawai‘i location in the space formerly occupied by Piggly Wiggly and Star Market.
Today: Kāhala Mall spans 414,000 square feet with nearly 100 tenants. Thirty merchants have operated there for a decade or more.
To commemorate the anniversary, commemorative merchant flags featuring photographs of longstanding tenants will be displayed throughout the center, the announcement noted.
According to the mall, popular gift-with-purchase promotions will showcase the colors and design of the Kahala Mall carpet, a recognizable feature of the center for decades. You can receive these limited-edition gifts in September and throughout the holiday season.
Follow @kahalamall on social media to see photos of the Center's early days and through the years. Customers also can share their own memories of Kahala Mall by tagging #KahalaMall55 for a chance to win Kahala Mall gift cards and a grand staycation at the Kahala Hotel & Resort.
Kahala Mall is located at 4211 Waialae Ave., and open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Visit KahalaMallCenter.com for more information.
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Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
