The Changing Profile of Ward
The Ward area in town continues to change Before the Ward Warehouse are is razed, here’s a shot of the changing profile that now includes high rises.
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Ben and Jerry’s at Ward?
This has to be an old sign from bygone days right? Ben & Jerry’s ice cream coming to Ward?!? Rewind back to July 2006 when Ben & Jerry’s had their Ward grand opening or a sign in the parking structure that was never taken down?
Nordstrom Rack Ward Relocated
First there was TJ Maxx then Pier 1 moved next door. Completing the Ward Village transformation is the relocation of Nordstrom Rack. Previously down the street next to Office Depot, Nordstrom Rack gets front and center on Auahi Street.
The store is much bigger than its previous location, now on two floors. Men’s occupies the first floor while the women’s section is on the second floor, seemingly as big as the entire previous location. The store is decorated with Hawaiian accents like this surfboard.
Open for only a few weeks, shoppers were treated to these excellent bags with each purchase.
The inventory was good when I went, but it may be wiped out by now. This place was packed with shoppers looking for great bargains. There was lots of winter stuff on clearance so if you needed a North Face jacket, you may find a good buy. I picked up a Kahala aloha shirt at 50% off, colorful Happy Socks, and work out shorts (Nike, Adidas, Puma, Reebok Under Armour were all there). Oh, when you’re ready to check out, don’t wait in the long lines for the registers. Many employees carry mobile registers (like the Apple Store). As long as you pay by credit card, they can perform the transaction without any wait.
Pier 1 Imports Launches New Store Concept at Ward
In September, Pier 1 Imports at Ward announced their moving sale. In mid-October the location closed down. But on November 1, Pier 1 at Ward reopened its doors just down the block. The new Pier 1 is still in the Ward Village Shops and shares the same building as T.J. Maxx and soon, the relocated Nordstrom Rack.
This is definitely a potent combination of fashion and furniture at Ward. Additionally, this new Pier 1 location is modeled after their new store concept:
The new store design is a natural evolution of the Pier 1 Imports experience that utilizes a new interior finish-out, including natural-colored floor tiles, rustic ceiling elements, enhanced store lighting and lit shelving units lining the walls, all of which help customers visualize the end-use of the products within their own home. The new look is complemented by the use of “open stock†merchandising, designed to enhance the shopping environment by giving customers the opportunity to see, feel and interact with the product. The exterior design features a signature bamboo door with rustic metal door handles that will mark the entrance to Pier 1 Imports’ unique shopping experience. The features of the new store will allow easier navigation, all while maintaining the “treasure hunt†feel and continuing to make Pier 1 Imports a great place for discovery and spending time browsing.
Over the years, the original Ward Pier 1 location has been eclipsed by its other stores. The Pearl City store has its massive inventory while the smaller Kailua store felt fresher. But now, with its new look and new design concept, the Ward location is the face of Pier 1 in the islands.
Pier 1 at Ward No More
That didn’t take long. Less than a month after seeing the moving sale signs at Pier 1 at Ward, the location is now closed.
I still haven’t looked into where this Pier 1 store moved to. The ones in Pearl City and Kailua are still there, and the official Pier 1 imports web site only lists these two stores for Hawaii.
Update 11-03-2013: The new Ward location is open down the street.
Where Is Pier 1 at Ward Moving to?
Passed by the Pier 1 Imports location at Ward and saw they are moving. Where is this long time location moving to?
To ease with the move, everything is on sale although most of the good stuff is already gone. Or quantities are limited. I did see brand new items on sale.
Famous Footwear Now Open at Ward
The Famous Footwear store is now open in the Ward area, taking the spot formerly filled by Nordstrom’s Shoes. Tons of affordable shoes (and slippers) for men, women, and kids. A few pictures…
For the hardcore Twilight saga fans, do you own a pair of Nike’s Air Twilight?
Paina Cafe Is Now Open
Have you been to Ward Warehouse recently? There are a lot of changes in this collection of boutique shops including the recent addition of Paina Cafe. I first heard about them as a sponsor of the recent A Touch of `Iolani 2009 then I read this review and had to try for myself.
The location is tiny, right in the middle of Ward Warehouse, next to Town and Country. There are a few tables outside, but not very many.
I went with the large Poke Bowl with white rice, mild sauce, spicy tuna poke, and taegu. What a winner! The poke chunks are huge and soft, and the “hidden” soy sauce on the rice provided a nice salty surprise. The spiciness of the tuna eventually got to me, but it was so good! I couldn’t finish the entire large $6 bowl and saved the rest.
We also got a pastrami sandwich, reuben style which also tasted great. The pastrami was thinly sliced, and the bread was ono. The only disappointing aspect of the sandwich was that it doesn’t come with anything else. No fries, no chips, just the lonely sandwich.
Check out their menu. What would you order?
Satura Cakes Opens at Ward
On the way to Borders at Ward, we caught the grand opening of Satura Cakes. They’re supposed to make extraordinary cakes, and their mission statement is, “Never another ordinary bite.†They forgot to add “…at an extraordinary price.â€
Yeah, so their goodies are kinda pricey, but at least, my mocha was cheap and not bad.
They goofed up on their Store Hours sign. Open only until 12pm?? After a while (and a few questions), one of the workers made a quick pencil change to 12am.
Will these guys make it at their new location? Let’s see…they sell sweets, goodies, and coffee. What does the Ward area offer? Ben & Jerry’s is right next door. Down a few more is Papa Beards with their cream puffs plus a limited grab-n-go lunch selection. Satura Cakes is also an espresso cafe, but do they know that their Ward location is flanked by Starbucks?
But what do I know? I didn’t think La Palme Dor Patisserie would make it this long at Ala Moana even if they do have yummy treats. The next time you’re in the Ward area, be sure to give Satura Cakes a looksee.
My pics of the Satura Cakes Opening.
Technorati Tags: la palme dor, patisserie, satura cakes, Ward Centre
Ben & Jerry’s Grand Opening
Saw a news clip about the grand opening of the first Ben & Jerry’s ice cream store in Hawaii at the Victoria Ward Centre. Happened to be in the Ward area when the store opened at 11AM. First 50 through the door got free ice cream. Local news stations were there covering the grand opening although I didn’t recognize any of the reporters.
As the 28th customer, I got the Coffee BuzzBuzzBuzz which was okay. Regular items are pricey. A single scoop of ice cream goes for $4. Can’t you get a pint of Ben & Jerry’s at the supermarket for that cost?
Will this place survive? Location is kinda out of the way by Borders, Kicks Hawaii, and the construction. Also, Coldstone is right down the street and is closer to the movie theaters to catch the moviegoers.
Of course, I got a few pictures. No great shots though.