Farmers market getting new face

By Catherine E. Toth
Advertiser Staff Writer

Victoria Ward is renovating the 55-year-old Ward Farmers Market on Auahi Street after two longtime vendors, Bob's Fish Market and Mura's Fish & Meat Market, closed their shops a few months ago.

The Ward Farmers Market on Auahi Street will go through a major renovation in the next few months after two longtime tenants decided to retire, leaving new commercial space. Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser

Marukai also will increase its selection of oriental foods and sake, serve local-style lunches, expand its fish department and hire about 30 new employees, said Roy Ishihara, vice president of operations. The newly expanded store will be completed by mid-January.

"This is really taking advantage of a situation where two longtime tenants decided to retire and spaces were empty," said Victoria Ward general manager Jeff Dinsmore. "Marukai had a desire to expand and continue the farmers' market feel."

But not all the tenants are excited about the changes.

Lin's Market, which specializes in local snacks, has to move to a smaller location, losing one-third of its retail space, while paying about $40,000 for its share of the renovation costs.

"It will be an investment and me, being the owner, I'm gambling," said owner Shin Lin, whose shop has been in Ward Farmers Market since 1990. "I just cross my fingers. Hopefully this will bring more people for me."

Lin said customer traffic has gone down substantially since Bob's and Mura's shut down. He hopes the renovations will bring people back to the market, known for its local products and fresh seafood.

"Right now, it's just empty," said Dennis Kinoshita who runs Stanley's Chicken Market, a family-run vendor of fresh chicken, shave ice and other foods.

Rachel Haili, who runs Haili's Hawaiian Foods, said she is concerned that the changes might alter the market's local-style ambiance.

"It's changing the complexion of the area and the type of business here," said Haili, whose parents opened the concession — one of the market's original tenants — more than 50 years ago. "I have mixed feeling about that. I think overall for the area, for the landlord, it's going to be really good. There'll be more diversified businesses here. But it's changing the ambiance."

"You gotta either expand or get left behind," she said. "It's an option we see as a way of expanding our business. Maybe it will develop into something more."

Renovations to Ward Farmers Market are just a small part of Victoria Ward's plans to develop its Kaka'ako shopping complex into an urban village of shops, restaurants and apartments.

The company will spend more than $100 million on this project, which includes replacing Ward Village shops with two levels of retail space topped by 10 floors of apartments.

Ward Farmers Market's renovation may change the ambience of the area, some tenants say, because of more diversified businesses. Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser

Dinsmore didn't discount further changes to Ward Farmers Market as the rest of the area evolves, though currently there are no plans for major changes.

"It's certainly part of our history and we'll certainly retain it," Dinsmore said. "We think it's an important component to the community and it belongs in Kaka'ako ... It's possible it will move. But that's five, 10, 15 years (down the road)."

But Haili doesn't think the modest Ward Farmers Market will fit into Victoria Ward's ambitious plans.

"Eventually, it's going to be a high-end market," she said, "and as far as being able to exist as a small business, it's going to be hard."

Reach Catherine E. Toth at 535-8103 or ctoth@honoluluadvertiser.com.