Christmas trees plentiful this year
By Deborah Adamson
Advertiser Staff Writer
With Thanksgiving barely over, shoppers like Ruth Hirahara are already out looking for the perfect Christmas tree for their homes.
"We like to put up a tree early for our kids," said the Manoa resident, brushing stray needles off a 7-foot Douglas fir she was inspecting at a Christmas tree lot in Kaimuki. "I plan to decorate it with gold angels and teddy bears."
This year, consumers like Hirahara can be more picky because a larger shipment of Christmas trees has been arriving in Hawai'i.
Retailers are stocking more trees for this Christmas after running out of evergreens earlier than expected last year. They are hoping for an even stronger Christmas selling season as the economy heats up.
"It's packed out there right now. It's crazy," said Shawn Troup, manager of the Home Depot store in Iwilei, after surveying the Christmas tree lot. The store is stocking
5 percent to 10 percent more trees this year, for a total of 10,000. Six- and 7-foot Douglas firs are on sale through the weekend for $23, compared with the regular price of $36, while Noble firs are just under $50.
Today, the SS Kauai will arrive in Honolulu — Matson Navigation Co.'s third "Christmas tree ship." There will be four ships in all, carrying an estimated 115,000 Christmas trees in 300 containers from the Pacific Northwest. The last arrives next Saturday.
There was a time when Matson needed only three ships for the trees, but four ships has been a trend in recent years, said
Myrna Chang, Matson's community relations manager.
Dennis Kyllo, co-owner of Oregon Evergreen, said he's shipping 30 percent more trees to Hawai'i this season. His company packed 60 containers, carrying between 250 to more than 600 trees each, headed for the Islands.
"Everywhere (in the country, the number of trees shipped) is pretty much the same, except for Hawai'i," he said.
"Last two years has been strong, but this year in particular is a very, very strong year."
Richard Tajiri, who set up a Christmas tree lot yesterday on Ala Moana Center grounds near the corner of Atkinson Drive and Ala Moana, said he's stocking 20 percent more trees this year.
Tajiri said he has brought in 25 containers of the evergreens, each holding from 100 to 500 trees. They are retailing for $20 to $120, depending on type and size.
"It's only one day but it's been busy," said Tajiri, the owner of FMR Sales, which runs a business called Christmas Hawaii. "I hope we sell it out."
In its third year of selling Christmas trees, Daiei USA began stocking evergreens for sale last Saturday at its four O'ahu stores. General manager Herb Gushikuma said the chain is carrying "slightly more" trees than last year — priced between $20 and $70.
He thinks Daiei can sell more trees this year because "quality is really good ... nice and fresh and trees are full."
As for artificial trees, the Costco warehouse store in Waipi'o has stocked nearly three times more this holiday season, said manager Mike Hayes.
Even so, the Waipi'o Costco store's $246 pre-lit 9-footers are sold out. The 7 1/2-footers sell for about $170.
"Traditionally, we've never had enough," he said. "By mid-December, we're usually out."
Reach Deborah Adamson at dadamson@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8088.
