Deals on deals! Hawaii shoppers head to the malls to shop & buy local this Black Friday

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hawaii shoppers were out in full force this Black Friday scoping out the best deals in town.
At Pearlridge Center, there was a steady stream of people trying to find the perfect holiday gift.
Keegan Kahalehoe of Mililani got to the mall around 9:30 a.m.
“I came to shop for my girlfriend. I got couple perfumes, was like 50 percent off. Was cherry,” he said.
Menjean Lee lives in Hawaii Kai but works near Pearlridge. She found parking on her way into work and decided to use her free time to do some shopping.
“I bought a whole bunch of things because they were on sale. I got two different bags that are buy one get one half off with a beautiful umbrella,” she said, excitedly showing off her purchases.
But with inflation top of mind for consumers, many are mindful of their budget and are watching their spending.
“(We) Definitely look for sales wherever they’re at,” mother-daughter duo Dana and Mehana Hanohano said. The pair drove in from Waimanalo to shop at Pearlridge.
When asked how much they spend on average during the holidays, Dana said, “This year is gonna be different, for sure.”
Between gifts, food, decorations and other seasonal items, the National Retail Federation projects consumers will spend about $900 on average per person this year, which is a new record.
Hoping to snag some of the shoppers, are Hawaii’s small businesses. Over 60 percent of the businesses at Pearlridge are locally owned and operated. That’s appealing to a lot of shoppers who opted to support brick and mortar stores.
Leihulu Irvine is the General Manager of HomeGrown Pearlridge.
“I got into work a little later in the morning. As soon as I walked in, the line was literally flowing out the door,” he said.
Their shop features over 400 different brands, most of which are Hawaii-created.
“We have minority-owned, wahine owned, kanaka-owned businesses. It’s our bread and butter. Our customer base, we are here, we make local made things for the locals. So made by locals for locals and that’s really where we see the bulk of our support and our growth,” Irvine said.
This holiday rush is a lifeline for many small businesses, who soon could face higher costs due to tariffs and the rising expenses of doing business in the islands.
“I think businesses right now are cautiously optimistic. And that’s why the holiday season is going to be a good measurement as to what the temperament is in terms of the near future of our local businesses,” Hawaii Chamber Of Commerce President & CEO Sherry Menor-McNamara said.
And following Black Friday comes Small Business Saturday, which could drum up even more support for the local economy.
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