The largest Malama Market in Hawaii opened last month in Pahoa on Hawaii Island, two years after it was originally scheduled for opening.
Pahoa's Malama Market is three times larger, according to the market's website. It's 35,000 square feet and will have 130 employees. The area's previous Malama Market that opened in 2005 was smaller and had 70 employees, Pacific Business News reported. The market is one of five in the state and three on Big Island.
The store includes a prepared food selection, a 16-foot poke station, an "Anything Bar" that has juice, espresso, coffee, wine and beer, plus a hardware and garden section.
“The Pahoa community has been so good to us, and we are grateful to our loyal customers for not only supporting Malama Market over the past 16 years but for helping us outgrow our current store,” Mike Yamashiro, Pahoa store manager, said in a statement, Pacific Business News reported. “We can’t think of a better way to say ‘mahalo’ than with a beautiful, warm, welcoming store with a wider array of the offerings our customers have told us they would love to buy right here in their neighborhood. This is a store for the Pahoa community and we can’t wait to welcome everyone in.”
The market will be open 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. Masks and social distancing policies will be enforced.
The market is operated by Kalama Beach Corp, which is part of the Sullivan Family of Companies. Sullivan owns Foodland.
The address of the new store is 15-2714 Pahoa Village Rd., Unit A.