Sole Mio is one of 13 new permanent stores opening through fall at Ala Moana Center, the state's largest mall. This expansion, along with the opening of a nearby Wal-Mart, offers Honolulu shoppers more options than ever for gift-giving or sourcing girly stuff, accessories or clothing for teens or keiki.

The arrival of these new stores completes a transformation at Ala Moana inaugurated when J.C. Penney closed, just after Christmas 2002. According to plan, the stores are in place in time for Christmas 2004.

The additions are "fabulous," the Hawai'i Kai resident, 50, said in front of a display of Maui Jims. "It gives the shoppers a lot more options and selections."

Two doors down from Sole Mio, at the new Betsey Johnson boutique, real-estate agent Susie Kimhan browsed through a rack of ruffly dresses and lacey tops. Dressed in a short black dress, the Kailua resident, 40, could easily have passed for a college student.

"I love it!" Kimhan said of the boutique and the new shops.

Kimhan fell for Johnson's funky feminine designs after visiting the designer's store in New York, and Kimhan was thrilled to hear about the Hawai'i opening. When the store — the first one in Hawai'i — opened, Kimhan was its first customer. She has shopped there at least six more times since its opening in September.

"What I really like is that it's cute, contemporary, fashionable clothing," said Kimhan, who mixes the flirty pieces with some of her professional attire for work. "I'm not a typical real-estate agent."

Many of the new stores offer shoppers one-of-a-kind items once available only at specialty boutiques on the Mainland, said store manager Marilee Mattson, who was assisting Kimhan.

"We're offering them an improved overall selection and a better (shopping) experience by adding some retailers that are new to Hawai'i, as well as some local retailers," said Kristin Kilburn, retail services director for General Growth Properties Inc., which owns Ala Moana Center.

Ala Moana Center will add about 15 more sites next year, including a new fourth level of restaurants and a family comfort center. The mall has more than 250 shops and restaurants.

Wong, who works in public relations, raved about the options. People could "easily spend all day here," she said, laughing. "You can find something here for everyone on your Christmas list, and then some. For you."

Consider the mix of existing stores and nearby options, and the variety is mind-boggling. Factor in the new Wal-Mart store adjacent to Ala Moana, and shoppers now have their bases covered, at all price ranges.

Alvin Sugai, 51, visited Wal-Mart for the first time Tuesday with his family. The downtown Honolulu residents complimented Wal-Mart — a 150,000-square-foot, mammoth store jam-packed with clothing, jewelry, toys, electronics, household goods, food, gardening supplies and more — for its one-stop-shopping convenience.

Sole Mio offers hundreds of premium sunglasses by designers such as Chanel, Prada, Versace, Salvatore Ferragamo and Dolce & Gabbana. Sole Mio, which means "My Sun" in Italian, opened Oct. 27 at Ala Moana Center.

Maui Divers Jewelry has precious coral, black Tahitian pearl and Hawaiian gold pieces.

Sandal Tree offers footwear and accessories by designers such as Matisse, Mephisto, Reed Evins, Sacha London and Giuseppe Zanotti.

Kailua resident Jocelyn Naweli was in Wal-Mart for the third time since it opened Oct. 13. "It's convenient because the other stores (in Kunia and Mililani on O'ahu) are all the way on the other side," said the student, 22, who was shopping with her family, " ... and it's cheap."

Back at Ala Moana Center, Wong compared Hawai'i's newest stores to those in Chicago's famed shopping district, Michigan Avenue, which she recently visited.

"It's nice to know that we have a lot of stores they have, and we're now on the map as a major shopping destination," she said.

Honolulu has been the center of retail in the luxury goods market for many years, said Stephany Sofos, a local real-estate consultant. Sofos noted that the Honolulu branches of Chanel and Hermes have ranked No. 2 in sales worldwide, next only to the companies' Paris stores.

Retailers of all kinds, from luxury to discount, "have been banging around, looking for places here" to cater to both residential and vacationing consumers, Sofos said.

"It's great for shoppers because anytime you have a ... smorgasboard of activities, it means you definitely have different opportunities to go shopping," she said.