Ho‘omana Polynesian Boutique and Na Koa Brand general manager Shanna Kanahele shows off a women’s tank top and a clutch Saturday at Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center. Maui merchants are expecting a busy holiday shopping season. -- The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
KAHULUI — Local retailers and an official from one of Maui’s largest malls expect holiday season sales to be strong with shopping already heating up and a national forecast predicting an uptick in spending.
“It’s going to be a great holiday season,” said Shanna Kanahele, general manager of Ho’omana Polynesian Boutique and Na Koa Brand, both local clothing stores at Queen Ka’ahumanu Center.
“We can already see an increase” in sales, she said last week while at the Ho’omana store, which opened four months ago at the mall. It’s an offshoot of Na Koa. That store focuses on locally designed men’s clothing. Na Koa opened last year at the mall.
Ho’omana focuses on women and includes maxi dresses, blouses, leggings for both women and girls, tote bags and clutches, all locally designed. Some are adorned with the store’s logo, a gold pineapple, which is made of upside down hearts. The designs are created by Kanahele’s husband, Daimus Kanahele.
When the women’s store opened, Shanna Kanahele said she heard customers saying, “We got to come back for Christmas.”
Ho‘omana salesperson Anuhea Ah Sau (right) helps Lahaina’s Miho Meguro shop Saturday morning. -- The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
Toni Rojas, vice president of business and community development at the center, said “holiday season sales are expected to be strong.”
The National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics forecast that consumer spending would be up around 4.1 percent this year over last.
Consumers reported they would spend, on average, $1,007.24 during the holiday season, up 4.1 percent from $967.13 last year, the groups said.
“Our Maui County economic indicators, such as GDP (gross domestic product) growth, a strong labor market and positive consumer sentiment, are all contributing to what we expect to be a substantial consumer discretionary spending environment,” Rojas added.
Jean Yokoyama, one of the owners of the Sanrio franchise store at the mall, expressed optimism for this season, even as last year’s holiday sales were about even with 2016.
A close-up shows the detail for a clutch at Ho‘omana boutique designed by Daimus Kanahele. -- The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
“I always hope for the best. It’s going to be better,” she said last week. “I like to think it’s going to be better this year.”
Yokoyama agreed with Kanahele that people already are Christmas shopping, even before Thanksgiving.
One of the things that could be a hit at Sanrio is the tokidoki line. The brand has been described as Italian lifestyle anime with a Japanese name.
Last week, Yokoyama was awaiting shipments of tokidoki items, including Hello Kitty and Gudetama tokidoki.
And for the first time in the store, Yokoyama is ordering “blind boxes” of tokidoki dolls.
Ho‘omana Polynesian Boutique and Na Koa Brand general manager Shanna Kanahele displays some products with husband Daimus Kanahele, who created the designs, Saturday at Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center. Ho‘omana focuses on women’s clothes, tote bags and clutches, while Na Koa is primarily men’s clothing. -- The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
The concept is a hit among youngsters for various types of toys, not only tokidoki. Customers buy a box or a bag not knowing which figurine or toy is inside.
Already in stock are Hello Kitty toys sets, including a princess castle, Hello Kitty school, play doctor sets and beads and bow makers.
If a customer is practical or wants to get a jump on the New Year, Sanrio calendars and planners for 2019 already are available.
“They have to come now,” Yokoyama said with a chuckle because she does not over order the “dated” stuff.
Yokoyama’s store will not open Thursday, but it will be open at 6 a.m. Friday. There will be a 20 percent off special that day.
According to the National Retail Foundation, most holiday shoppers, or 60 percent, will wait until this month to begin holiday shopping.
Malls and stores all across Maui are gearing up for Thanksgiving Day openings and traditional Black Friday sales.
Rojas said 35 stores at Ka’ahumanu will open on Thanksgiving Day, with most opening at 6 p.m. and closing at midnight. She said Macy’s and some others will be open through 2 a.m. The Forever 21 store will be open all night from Thursday through Friday, Rojas added.
All stores will open at 6 a.m. Friday.
“This is a sign of the times, where spending time with family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving during the day is a welcome priority, and giving our shoppers an opportunity to take advantage of great sales in the evening,” Rojas said.
A live radio remote from Center Court Stage with KPOA will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday. It includes a Queen Ka’ahumanu Center gift giveaway to the first 250 shoppers at 11 a.m. There will be door prizes and entertainment.
The Outlets of Maui in Lahaina will open at midnight after Thanksgiving and remain open throughout Friday until 10 p.m.
There will be a surprise shopping tote giveaway beginning at midnight with the center’s first 100 shoppers receiving a complimentary shopping tote. Ten of the totes will contain a $50 gift card that can be used at the Outlet. The totes are redeemable at the Banyan Tree Courtyard. There will be Black Friday and Thanksgiving discounts.
At the Maui Mall, most stores will be open during regular hours on Friday, and there will be special sales.
YNVU Clothing Co. will run specials through the day, with deeper discounts in the morning through noon hours. Hawaiian Island Creations will offer 25 percent off all day long. Whole Foods is having a 25 percent off sale on its Hydro Flasks.
The Shops at Wailea will begin at 9:30 a.m. Friday with its Black Friday gift bag giveaway. A Santa parade follows at 10 a.m., with other entertainment throughout the day.
Target will open at 5 p.m. Thanksgiving and then close at 1 a.m. It will reopen at 7 a.m. Friday, according to its advertisement.
Walmart will open at 6 p.m. Thursday, according to its advertisement. Online sales begin Wednesday.
Lowe’s will be closed on Thanksgiving but open at 6 a.m. Friday.
Home Depot will also be closed on Thanksgiving Day, but it will open at 6 a.m. Friday.
Walgreens will be open its regular hours on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday.
Shanna Kanahele said she’s excited for this year’s holiday sales, especially in the women’s store. She plans to bring in a new jewelry case to offer more bling and will add more clothing to her sales floor at Ho’omana.
Some of the store’s unique items include leggings featuring a “tako,” or octopus, tentacle design. There are pineapple print leggings for girls and women.
As with Na Koa opening at the mall last year, Kanahele said she enjoyed a better-than-expected first holiday season in 2017.
“We totally underestimated . . . both shoppers and volume,” she said.
Her stores will open from 6 p.m. to midnight on Thanksgiving. Then again beginning at 6 a.m. on Friday.
Special deals will include a Black Friday promotion in which black-colored items will be discounted. There also will be $10 hats and canvas clutches, among other specials.
“That’s the kind of stuff we like,” she said, as a shopper herself.
* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.
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