Whole Foods will begin construction on its first store in Hawai'i with a traditional Hawaiian blessing at 10 a.m. today at Kahala Mall.

The upscale and natural food grocery store will occupy the 26,000-square-foot space vacated by Star Market in March.

The store is expected to open early next year.

Whole Foods had announced it was opening another store on O'ahu. That store will be the anchor tenant at the $100-million-plus redevelopment of Ward Village Shops in Kaka'ako.

Whole Foods was established in 1980 and has grown to about 190 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.