Prince Kuhio Plaza
A single-level regional shopping mall in Hilo, Hawaii, and the largest enclosed mall on the Island of Hawaii.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Prince Kūhiō Plaza is a regional enclosed shopping mall in Hilo, Hawaii. It serves the eastern side of Hawaii Island and is described as the island’s largest enclosed mall. The property is named for Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole, who represented the Territory of Hawaii as its congressional delegate from 1903 to 1922. Its name connects a contemporary retail destination with a prominent figure in modern Hawaiian political history. The mall originated in a development effort intended to address the limited supply of substantial retail space in the Hilo area. In September 1977, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands offered approximately 39 acres at the intersection of Pūʻāinakō Street and Kanoelehua Avenue, a location connected to the Hawaii Belt Road, for retail development. Orchid Isle Group was the sole bidder and entered into a 53-year lease on October 28, 1977. Prince Kuhio Plaza opened in 1985 as a single-level enclosed center with multiple wings, anchor spaces, interior corridors, a food court, and a central stage used for community and promotional events. The property has undergone several ownership and tenant changes. General Growth Properties acquired Homart Development Company’s 50 percent interest on August 5, 2002, giving General Growth full ownership at that time. The mall is now owned and operated by Brookfield Properties through the General Growth shopping-mall platform. Its anchor and major tenants have changed as national retail companies entered, expanded, or withdrew from the Hawaii market. Macy’s operates two stores in the center, while TJ Maxx and Petco are among the other principal anchors or large-format tenants. A Regal Cinemas theater with nine screens provides entertainment alongside the retail offering. Other notable tenants identified in the mall’s reference material include Tractor Supply Company and Longs Drugs. The mall’s tenant mix also reflects successive adaptations to changing retail conditions. Macy’s acquired the former Liberty House location in 2001 and later took over the vacant JCPenney space for men’s, children’s, and home merchandise. Old Navy and Pier 1 Imports arrived in 2015. TJ Maxx and Petco opened in 2018, with Petco taking space previously occupied by Sports Authority. Tractor Supply Company opened in 2020 in space formerly used by Safeway. Sears, once an anchor, announced its closure in January 2021 and shut its store on April 18 of that year. Prince Kuhio Plaza includes more than its principal indoor building. An eastern strip-mall area contains tenants such as Jamba Juice and Starbucks, while a nearby fast-food site is occupied by KFC. A western commercial building houses tenants including Longs Drugs and Tractor Supply Company. A southeast retail building was constructed in 2017 after the former Hilo Hattie store closed in 2016; tenants identified in the reference material as of 2025 include Genki Sushi, Verizon, and Spectrum. The center also has a north-side food court, surface parking, additional parking across the street, and a Hele-On Bus stop that functions as a significant transit point for several routes. The mall’s long-term future has been affected by a lease dispute with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Reports in 2022 described disagreements over renewal terms, the legal framework for long-term Hawaiian Home Lands leases, and the extent to which the property fulfilled commitments relating to Hawaiian cultural activities. The existing arrangement was reported as allowing the mall to lease the land through 2042, while the mall sought an extension through 2082. This issue makes land tenure and cultural obligations important elements of the property’s ongoing business context.
History
Prince Kūhiō Plaza developed from a public land-leasing initiative intended to expand retail availability in Hilo. In September 1977, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands offered 39 acres at the intersection of Pūʻāinakō Street and Kanoelehua Avenue for a retail project. Orchid Isle Group was the only bidder and signed a 53-year lease on October 28 of that year. The site’s position along the Hawaii Belt Road provided access to Hilo and nearby communities, while the proposed center addressed a local shortage of large-scale retail space. Construction and development culminated in the mall’s opening in 1985. The completed property was organized as a single-level enclosed shopping center with several wings, anchor locations, interior retail corridors, entrances and exits, a north-side food court, and a central stage for events. Additional commercial areas were developed outside the principal mall structure, including an eastern strip center, a western office and retail building, and later a southeast retail building. The ownership structure changed in 2002. On August 5, General Growth Properties acquired Homart Development Company’s 50 percent interest, giving General Growth complete ownership of the property. The mall is subsequently identified with Brookfield Properties, which owns and operates shopping-center assets through the General Growth Properties platform. Tenant changes have been a central part of the property’s history. Macy’s acquired the Liberty House store at the mall in 2001. Two years later, Macy’s also acquired the vacant JCPenney space for men’s, children’s, and home merchandise. A 2004 legal dispute involving Longs Drugs concerned the owner’s decision to allow a Safeway store to be constructed at the center. Safeway later vacated its space in 2011, and that location was eventually used by Tractor Supply Company, which opened there in 2020. Other tenant transitions followed the broader restructuring of American retail. Blockbuster’s former location was demolished, allowing First Hawaiian Bank to open a branch in 2013. Sports Authority closed in 2014; Petco later occupied that space and opened in April 2018. Old Navy and Pier 1 Imports joined the mall in 2015. TJ Maxx and Petco opened in 2018, broadening the center’s discount and specialty-retail mix. In 2016, Hilo Hattie closed its southeast-side location, and a new retail building was constructed on the site in 2017. The building later accommodated tenants including Genki Sushi, Verizon, and Spectrum. The mall’s former Sears anchor closed during the continuing contraction of the Sears store network. On January 29, 2021, Sears announced that the Prince Kuhio Plaza store would be among 23 locations closing nationwide. The store closed on April 18, 2021. The current principal tenant mix includes two Macy’s stores, TJ Maxx, Petco, Regal Cinemas, Tractor Supply Company, and Longs Drugs, along with restaurants, cafés, service businesses, and smaller retailers. Prince Kuhio Plaza also functions as a local transportation and community venue. A Hele-On Bus stop on the eastern side serves as a satellite hub and a major stop for multiple routes. The property provides surface parking on site and additional parking across the street. Events are held on the central mall stage, while the food court and surrounding restaurants support everyday community use. A significant recent issue concerns the lease of the underlying Hawaiian Home Lands property. In 2022, reports described disagreement between DHHL and the mall over renewal negotiations. The dispute involved the interpretation of Act 236, questions about the authority to create long-term leases, and concerns raised by DHHL regarding the extent of Hawaiian cultural activities at the property. An October 2022 hearing reportedly attracted largely negative testimony. The existing lease arrangement was described as extending through 2042, while Prince Kuhio Plaza sought a renewal through 2082. The matter places the mall’s long-term occupancy, cultural obligations, and relationship with the landowner at the center of its future planning.
- 2022
Lease-extension dispute becomes public
[1]DHHL and the mall disputed the terms and legal framework for extending the land lease beyond the reported 2042 expiration, with the mall seeking a term through 2082.
- 2021
Sears closes its anchor store
[1]The Sears location closed on April 18 after being included in a nationwide store-closure plan announced earlier that year.
- 2020
Tractor Supply Company opens
[1]Tractor Supply Company opened in the former Safeway space.
- 2018
TJ Maxx and Petco arrive
[1]TJ Maxx and Petco opened at the mall, with Petco taking space formerly occupied by Sports Authority.
- 2017
Southeast retail building is constructed
[1]A new retail building was built on the site of the former Hilo Hattie location, which had closed in 2016.
- 2015
Old Navy and Pier 1 Imports open
[1]The mall added stores operated by Old Navy and Pier 1 Imports.
- 2013
First Hawaiian Bank branch opens
[1]A First Hawaiian Bank branch opened in a building created after the removal of the former Blockbuster location.
- 2003
Macy’s expands into former JCPenney space
[1]Macy’s acquired the vacant JCPenney space for men’s, children’s, and home departments.
- 2002
General Growth obtains full ownership
[1]General Growth Properties bought Homart Development Company’s remaining 50 percent interest, giving it full ownership of the mall.
- 2001
Macy’s acquires the former Liberty House location
[1]Macy’s acquired the mall’s Liberty House store as part of its expansion in Hawaii.
Products and positioning
A regional, enclosed community shopping center that combines national department stores, discount retail, specialty merchants, restaurants, services, entertainment, and transit access for Hilo and surrounding Hawaii Island communities.
Department store · 2001
Macy’s
Macy’s is one of the mall’s principal department-store offerings. The retailer operates two stores or store areas at the property, following its acquisition of the former Liberty House location in 2001 and its later acquisition of the vacant JCPenney space for men’s, children’s, and home merchandise.
Off-price department store · 2018
TJ Maxx
TJ Maxx provides off-price apparel, accessories, home merchandise, and related discount retail within the mall’s contemporary tenant mix. Its opening in 2018 added a major value-oriented national retailer to the center.
Pet retailer · 2018
Petco
Petco is a large-format specialty tenant offering pet products and related services. It opened at the mall in 2018 in space formerly occupied by Sports Authority, helping repurpose a vacant former anchor or large-store location.
Movie theater
Regal Cinemas
The mall includes a nine-screen Regal Cinemas theater. The theater extends the property’s role beyond shopping by providing movie entertainment as part of the regional center’s leisure and community offer.
Agricultural and outdoor retail · 2020
Tractor Supply Company
Tractor Supply Company occupies space formerly used by Safeway. The store broadens the mall’s catchment-area offering with agricultural, outdoor, hardware, workwear, and rural-lifestyle merchandise.
Pharmacy and general merchandise
Longs Drugs
Longs Drugs is a pharmacy and general-merchandise tenant associated with the mall’s western commercial building. Its presence adds health, personal-care, and everyday convenience products to the property’s broader retail mix.
Brand decisions
2022
Mall seeks a longer land-lease termStrategyBackground
The mall’s land lease is held through the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Renewal discussions became contentious over the interpretation of Act 236 and commitments concerning Hawaiian cultural activities at the property.
Action taken
Prince Kuhio Plaza sought to extend its lease from the reported 2042 endpoint to 2082.
Aftermath
The dispute remained a significant issue for the property’s long-term occupancy and planning; the available reference does not establish a final resolution.
2020
Tractor Supply Company replaces former Safeway useProduct launchBackground
Safeway had vacated its mall space in 2011.
Action taken
Tractor Supply Company opened a store in the former Safeway location.
Aftermath
The center added an agricultural, outdoor, and rural-lifestyle retailer serving the broader Hawaii Island market.
2018
Large-format tenant replacement and expansionProduct launchBackground
Sports Authority had closed its location in 2014, leaving space that could be repositioned for another specialty retailer.
Action taken
Petco opened in the former Sports Authority space, while TJ Maxx also opened at the mall.
Aftermath
The tenant mix gained both a pet-specialty retailer and an off-price department store.
2002
General Growth consolidates mall ownershipM&ABackground
The mall had been jointly owned by General Growth Properties and Homart Development Company.
Action taken
General Growth Properties acquired Homart’s 50 percent interest and became the property’s sole owner.
Aftermath
The property later became part of the Brookfield Properties shopping-center platform through the General Growth operating structure.
Recent events
- 2022
Lease-renewal dispute emerges between DHHL and Prince Kuhio Plaza[1]
Lawsuit · Regulation · Other
The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and the mall became involved in a dispute over future lease terms, statutory authority for long-term leases, and the property’s fulfillment of commitments involving Hawaiian cultural activities. The mall sought a lease extending to 2082, while the existing arrangement was reported to run through 2042.
- 2021
Sears announces closure of its Prince Kuhio Plaza store[1]
Bankruptcy · Leadership change
Sears announced that its mall location would close as part of a nationwide plan affecting 23 stores. The store ceased operations on April 18, 2021.
- 2020
Tractor Supply Company opens in former Safeway space[1]
Product launch
Tractor Supply Company opened a store in space previously occupied by Safeway, which had left the property in 2011.
- 2018
TJ Maxx and Petco open at Prince Kuhio Plaza[1]
Product launch
TJ Maxx and Petco opened at the mall. Petco occupied space formerly used by Sports Authority, which had closed in 2014.
- 2015
Old Navy and Pier 1 Imports join the tenant roster[1]
Other
The mall added Old Navy and Pier 1 Imports as part of its continuing tenant-mix development.
- 2013
First Hawaiian Bank opens a mall branch[1]
Other
First Hawaiian Bank opened a branch at the center in a building created after the demolition of the former Blockbuster space.
- 2004
Longs Drugs lawsuit concerned proposed Safeway construction[1]
Lawsuit
The shopping-center owner was sued by Longs Drugs in a dispute related to permitting Safeway to be built at the mall.
- 2002
General Growth Properties takes full ownership of Prince Kuhio Plaza[1]
M&A
General Growth Properties acquired Homart Development Company’s 50 percent interest in the mall, bringing its ownership stake to 100 percent.
Sources2 sources
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