Another Hilo Store Bites the Dust

[KeaauRich]

It should come as no surprise, but the Hilo Sears store is now officially on the chopping block...

http://www.staradvertiser.com/2018/11/26...ii-stores/

[kalianna]

What a great spot for a COSTCO!!

[Mimosa]

a bowling ally and restaurant

[alaskyn66]

quote:

---

Originally posted by kalianna

What a great spot for a COSTCO!!

---

or a Sams club. anything that would help knock Safeway off their high horse.

I have a sudden craving for popcorn..

[randomq]

I wonder if you can still order tires on amazon and have them installed at sears before they close up shop...

[Tink]

Everybody seems to want a Costco, just like back home on the mainland (sigh). With all the changes the County is making aka: spending money on B.S., building a pool for Pahoa that one can look at, but cannot swim in, although all payed for it, representatives that cry war crimes pushing all into a territory if their ways are met, why would they invest in another store? Costco watches very closely where each card member lives, and what their average yearly spending at the store is to determine if another location would sustain itself.
Another factor is a lot of their items are from China, and with the new 20% import tariff the P.E. has going into effect on the new year, they will have a rough time keeping things "cheap" for their members at Hawaii's high prices to begin with. A lot of stores are on edge on this one as to how it will play out on their bottom line.

Community begins with Aloha

[SBH]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mimosa

a bowling ally and restaurant

---

Yes, I want to go bowling when I’m in my 90’s too.

[kalakoa]

All that prime commercial-retail real estate is leased from DHHL; the lessees can (and do) negotiate exclusionary terms. Any new tenant of the former Sears space will be subject to those obligations; it may be contractually impossible to open anything that competes.

a bowling ally

If there were demand for a bowling alley, Hilo Lanes wouldn't have been vacant for the last few years.

[SBH]

The Hilo Sears would be a great location for a Whole Foods and could possibly increase traffic to other stores in the mall. WF would probably open a store in Kona before Hilo though.

A Costco may be better off built in Shipman Business Park.

Both highly unlikely with the current economy though. The old Safeway has been empty for years.

[kalakoa]

a great location for a Whole Foods

I doubt the Hilo economy can support a Whole Paycheck.

The old Safeway has been empty for years.

Yes: because Safeway won't sublet to anything that might compete.