A pal from high school sent this video link about the Ala Moana Shopping Center. We used to hang out there, with Liberty House being THE cream of the crop. Carol and Mary was also cream of the crop but they looked down on me – local girl who didn’t look rich. McInerneys was another snobby store and downstairs, Lynn’s had THE best pastrami sandwich on rye with dill pickles as well as delicious Chinese plate lunch choices like Panda’s of today.
I could spend all day there even though I only had $5 in my purse because I did a LOT of window shopping. The current owners are a Canadian company – Brookfield Properties. Over the years, Ala Moana Center has changed. Gone are the old stores that I liked (and didn’t like), but it is still an exciting place to shop and look.
Brookfield has plans to build 5 skyscrapers up to 400 feet high on the property, if they can. The current limit is 150 feet high. I will be watching this and hoping that they don’t get their way. We don’t need more high rises at million dollar price tags. Plant trees instead, please!
by Aunty
a lot of stuff about almost everything
I so agree, plant trees instead. I remember the old Ala Moana Center. Such a nice place to shop. These days, I don’t shop at all.
Hopefully it gets safer to go out and we have more trees.
I would imagine that in a place where land is at a premium, i.e. an island, preventing someone from building upwards is probably a tough row to hoe as we would say. But I can certainly sympathize with your feelings on the matter.
I suppose that is what it seems like but developers are using our still defunct and incomplete rail project as the excuse to go bigger and higher than what is allowed. And they target prime spots with great views so the higher the better for millions of dollars per unit. We call this “shibai” which has the same reason as b.s. Rail project buildings need to be build where the rail lines start in the “country” so people can ride it to come to work. In any case, most of us doubt that the rail will even be done since it is costing so much more than budgeted and rife with problems in construction and blunders.
Ala Moana has changed so much since I was younger and used to go there every so often. Back then, it seemed more local. Now it seems like it’s more for high end tourists. I loved to visit Liberty house way back when. I never went into McInernys. In Chicago I never felt like I wanted to go into Lord and Taylor or Neiman Marcus or whatever. I just didn’t feel comfortable. I think it’s funny that my daughter goes in and enjoys herself. She doesn’t buy anything, I think, but goes in just for fun. I’m a girl from “the camp.” You can take the girl out of the camp, but you can’t take the camp out of the girl.
I guess I am a camp girl too, from Palolo, and proud of it!
Benchmark understatement: “Maybe it’ll be worth something someday.” I enjoyed the video. Thanks!
That IS an understatement!
Brings back memories. I don’t think there is a single “orignal” store left, so sad.
Hi vicki,
I think you are right. I am trying to think if there is an original store left. So sad.