Pearlridge Center facts for kids
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| Location | Aiea, Hawaii, United States |
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| Coordinates | 21°23′05″N 157°56′30″W / 21.384588°N 157.941564°W |
| Address | 98-1005 Moanalua Rd #231 |
| Opening date | 1972 |
| Developer | Philip Lyon, Gordon & Company (E. Philip Lyon & Sheldon Gordon) |
| Owner | Washington Prime Group |
| No. of stores and services | 170 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 5 |
| Total retail floor area | 1,288,600 square feet (119,710 m2) |
| No. of floors | 2 (3 in Macy's and Sears) |
Pearlridge Center is a super big shopping mall in Hawaiʻi! It's the second largest mall there, right after Ala Moana. But it's the biggest one that's completely indoors. You can find it in ʻAiea.
The mall first opened its doors in 1972 and got even bigger in 1976. It's split into different parts called "Uptown," "Downtown," and "Phase Three." From the mall, you can see the famous Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial.
Pearlridge is special because it has the only monorail in Hawaiʻi! It also has an emergency clinic right on the mall property, called Pali Momi Medical Center. Plus, there's an eight-story office building called Pearlridge Office Center. The mall is owned by Washington Prime Group and sits on land owned by Kamehameha Schools. You can also get there by train, as it's served by the Kalauao (Pearl Highlands) station on the Honolulu Skyline.
Contents
History of Pearlridge Center
Pearlridge first opened in 1972 with the section known as Pearlridge Uptown. Big stores like JCPenney, Shirokiya, and Liberty House were the main attractions. Around the same time, Sears opened its own store nearby, even before Pearlridge Downtown was ready.
In 1976, Pearlridge Downtown officially opened, and that's when the cool Skycab monorail started running too! This new part of the mall had Hawaiʻi's first Daiei store and a fun place called Fun Factory.
Over the years, some stores changed. For example, in 2004, the space where JCPenney used to be was turned into more mall space, with stores like Borders moving in. Later, in 2018, Pearlridge Downtown got a big makeover. Fun Factory closed, and new shops like Uncles Grill opened up. This renovation was finished in 2019.
More recently, the Sears store closed in 2021, and its spot is still empty today.
Exploring the Mall: Uptown and Downtown
Pearlridge Center has two main shopping areas: Pearlridge Uptown and Pearlridge Downtown. There are also two smaller shopping areas, Pearlridge East and Pearlridge West.
The two main parts of the mall are connected by the monorail system, which is the only one in Hawaiʻi! The biggest stores, called "anchor tenants," include Macy's (which used to be Liberty House). Until 2021, Sears was also a major anchor.
Overall, Pearlridge has more than 170 different stores and restaurants. It also has two food courts where you can grab a bite, and a movie theater with sixteen screens to catch the latest films.
Other Stores and Restaurants
Around the main mall buildings, you'll find some stand-alone stores and restaurants. For example, Ross Dress for Less is in the spot where Borders used to be.
Pearlridge West once had a Star Markets grocery store, but it closed in 1994 and became a Circuit City electronics store. Circuit City closed down in 2009, and then Bed Bath & Beyond opened there in 2010. However, Bed Bath & Beyond also closed in 2023.
You can also find several stand-alone restaurants on the mall property. These include Anna Miller's and Bravo Restaurant at Pearlridge West. Near Uptown, there's Fuji Sushi and Teppanyaki. Downtown has popular spots like Chili's, California Pizza Kitchen, and Big City Diner.
Pearlridge Office Center
The Pearlridge Office Center is a tall, eight-story building. It's mostly used for offices, like financial businesses and other professional services. It's located near Pearlridge East.
Sumida Farm: A Unique Neighbor
One really cool and unique thing near Pearlridge is Sumida Farm. This farm is Hawaiʻi's largest watercress farm! It's located on land that is also owned by Kamehameha Schools.
Getting Around Pearlridge
The Skycab Monorail
The Skycab is one of the most famous parts of Pearlridge. It's Hawaiʻi's only monorail system! This special train connects Pearlridge Uptown and Pearlridge Downtown, making it easy and fun to travel between the two sections. A ride on the monorail costs $1.00 for a one-way trip. The monorail first started running on November 7, 1977.
Honolulu Skyline Train
Pearlridge is also connected to the Honolulu Skyline train system. You can get off at the Kalauao (Pearlridge) station to reach the mall. The Skyline train officially opened to the public on June 30, 2023.
