Bargain hunters flock to the Ala Moana Center for post-Christmas deals

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Armed with holiday cash, gift cards and gifts to return or exchange, hundreds of bargain hunters flocked to the Ala Moana Center on Thursday to take advantage of post-holiday sales.

Local retailers say it wasn’t as busy as previous years, and that could be a sign of the times.

“I just go with what’s cheap and what I can afford,” said buyer Brooklyn Oros. “So I don’t want to waste my money because I don’t really get much, so let’s save it for something special.”

Others simply came to enjoy the atmosphere.

“Spend Christmas with the family and then come here when the crowds are probably a little lighter, but not too bad so far,” said Moses Lee, who lived in Hawaii for a time and now lives in Louisiana.

“I got Li Hing Mui, the best on the island,” said Edwin Julian from Ewa. “At the ABC Store. They haven’t had it for a year and I’m just here for a ride. I went fishing this morning. I didn’t catch anything so I think I’ll continue with them. And then I just checked it and then they had it.”

Early on, crowds came to Manaola for a mission.

“Mostly it’s an exchange, trying to offer different sizes to the people who bought for them, and then we also see a lot of people come by just to look around,” said manager Daniel lnayoshi. “I’m sure a lot of people got Christmas bonuses.”

Retailers say they are experiencing the ups and downs of the holiday shopping season — noting crowds are smaller compared to last year — as more shoppers watch their spending amid an uncertain economy.

“It’s a little slow now after Christmas because people might still be sleeping, after all the holidays and overeating, we’ll keep going after that,” said Thelma Alvarado, store manager at Martin & MacArthur, which specializes in art and products Koa wood.

At Maui Divers Jewelry, Christmas is just the beginning of a season of giving that extends into the New Year and Valentine’s Day.

“We see a lot of people are snowbirds, our international customers who will come. We are seeing some of our Kamaaina returning home because they may have been away, and so we are more likely to see a Christmas shopping overload,” said Executive Director Aaron Navarro.

Companies hope this trend will continue in 2025.