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Black Friday Morning at Ala Moana

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Stopped off at Ala Moana at 7am on Black Friday, and it was surprisingly empty, very empty. The lighting of the still-rising sun was nice.

Walking through the mall was mellow but colorful.

While I was there, I had to do the obligatory escalator check. Were they all in service? Most were.

Stores were ready for the crowds with stanchions for queues but only a handful of stores had customers waiting at 7:30am.

The Makai Wing had the most customers with people waiting to get in Zara, Uniqlo, and Lululemon. I didn’t really pick up anything this morning other than this Salted Caramel Mocha from the Nordstrom’s eBar.

I did hear that Ala Moana got crowded after lunch. I guess everyone had to wake up from their Thanksgiving meal coma, do some online shopping, then headed to the mall.

Hello, Black Friday?

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Is this thing working? Sadly due to COVID and all its social distancing restrictions, Black Friday shopping doesn’t feel like Black Friday shopping. Sure, online sales have already started earlier in the week and more specials are inbound, so maybe the frenetic craziness of BF shopping may actually happen.

In any case, hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving!

The Vanishing Playstation 5

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It’s simply amazing how fast the new Sony Playstation 5 sells out. No matter the vendor, no matter the venue, and no matter what time of day – the PS5 vanishes seconds after releasing.

Today, Walmart advertised that they would be restocking the PS5 for an early Black Friday. I refreshed the product page for the digital version and saw the message sold out. That was within 10 seconds! But really, it seems like the digital version released after the disc version and wasn’t available right at the designated time.

These COVID times are definitely crazy times!

I Am a Closet Swiftie?

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I must be a closet fan of singer Taylor Swift. Otherwise, I don’t know how to explain this purchase of an autographed copy of the “in the trees” CD.

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I mean I didn’t even think twice. Autographed, bonus songs, different covers, and supposedly limited supply (even though there’s a limit of 4 CDs per order). I do like the Folklore album so perhaps Taylor’s music spoke to me during these COVID times. Or maybe, just maybe, I have a weak mind.

Temporary COVID Closures at Ala Moana

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With Hawaii’s Stay at Home, Work from Home emergency order in place, only businesses categorized as Essential Activies remain open. So when visiting Ala Moana, it’s eerily empty with only food vendors and restaurants allowed to operate. Even then, many chose to stay closed.

The escalators were also shut down, assumedly to save on operations, maintenance, and cleaning.

Hoping these closures of the small businesses are only temporary. But the real prize of this dreary visit is the patbingsu from Jejubing Dessert Cafe. Recently opened during the height of COVID breakouts on Oahu, the cafe is still open for takeout and is well worth the drive and eat in the car.

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This is the green tea regular size, but I think I’ll stick with the tiramisu. Mango is good albeit a little sweet, and you can’t go wrong with the kinako bingsu.

Nine Bankrupt Businesses

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If you’ve walked around a shopping mall during this COVID time, you’ve seen the desolation firsthand. Very little customers and permanently closed stores are common sights. So much so that here are nine business that have gone bankrupt:

  1. NPC International (Pizza Hut, Wendy’s)
  2. Lucky Brand
  3. Brooks Brothers
  4. Sur La Table
  5. Muji
  6. RTW Retailwinds
  7. Heritage Brands (Van Heusen, Izod Golf, Olga, Warner’s)
  8. Tailored Brands (Men’s Wearhouse)
  9. Ascena Retail Group (Ann Taylor, LOFT, Lane Bryant)

 

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