Page 17 - MidWeek - August 3, 2022

A Center For The Community
FROM PAGE 12
(Above) Whether climbing the mall’s levels to get to one of its signature features — the only monorail on O‘ahu — visiting its many retail outlets (top right) or enjoying its events (right), Pearlridge Center remains a prime gathering spot for many of the island’s residents and visitors. PHOTOS COURTESY PEARLRIDGE CENTER
AUGUST 3, 2022 MIDWEEK 17
Monarchs & More:
An Interactive Butterfly Exhibit
Learn about monarch butterflies during a self-guided tour through a garden exhibit.
11 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays through Aug. 14 at Wai Makai Center Court
Cost is $6.25 per person; keiki age 2 and under are free with paying adult; discounts available for military members
Open-air Farmers Market
Find nearly 50 vendors selling fruits, produce, ready-made goods and plants.
7:30 a.m.-noon Aug. 6, 13, 20 and 27
at the Mauka Mezzanine (upper level parking deck near Macy’s)
Sportscards and Collectibles Show
Traders and enthusiasts will showcase their graded cards, comics, autographed memora- bilia and more.
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Aug. 13-14 at Wai Makai, second level
Island Craft Fairs
More than 80 vendors sell everything from gifts and jewelry to apparel and snacks.
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Aug. 20-21 at Mauka, first level
Hula Demonstrations
Kumu hula Shelsea Lilia Ai and Halau Lilia Makanoe perform for shoppers.
1:30-2 p.m. Aug. 6, 13, 20 and 27 at Wai Makai Center Court
Comic Jam Hawai‘i
Watch — or join in — as local creatives share their sketches, illustrations and cartoons.
1-4 p.m. Aug. 7 and 21
at Wai Makai Center Cout
to start a company. This busi- ness model gives individuals a low-priced option to try their new venture and see if it makes sense for the market, and it benefits Pearlridge by expanding the variety of its tenants — many of which you can’t find anywhere else in the state. In fact, several current Pearlridge mainstays first got their start as a pop-up or kiosk, including Manaola, HomeGrown and Sweet Treats by Kris.
only location left in the world. “We enjoy the neigh- borhood family feeling of Pearlridge,” says Wade Hashizume, area manager of Anna Miller’s and Bra- vo Restaurant (the latter of which opened four decades ago at the mall). “Pearlridge
ovation not only gave the de- cades-old mall a facelift, but also included design elements — including the name chang- es — that reflected the area’s history. Much of the credit goes to consulting firm DTL, which did a lot of the histor- ical and cultural research on the Kalauao ahupua‘a.
destination, and gives fami- lies a place to spend time to- gether doing something fun, interesting and educational — and usually all three. (See a complete listing of August’s happenings on this page.)
“We love those stories and love working with entrepre- neurs,” Cianelli says. “It re- ally is a collaborative effort.”
is Diamond Co., which cred- its its longevity to the people who live, work and play in surrounding communities.
“A lot of people in the com- munity, the town elders, spoke to us and said that they felt like we did a really good job, that we did it right,” recalls Cianel- li. “That’s been one of the pri- orities, to stay connected to the community.”
From Pearlridge’s ‘ohana of retailers, restaurants and services, to all the good it does for its patrons, Cianel- li has gained and learned so much since joining the team nearly five years ago. And now, he’s excited to celebrate the mall’s 50th anniversary with the public and invites one and all to attend Pearl- ridge’s Aug. 19 celebration, adding that the admiration he has for all Pearlridge has done will continue to grow as the center embarks on its next 50 years.
And while new business- es are blooming throughout the year, there are a hand- ful of businesses that have been around for decades, including a couple that have called Pearlridge home for as long as the center has been around.
“It caters to locals, which helps us establish long-lasting relationships with our custom- ers,” says owner Mark Sage.
Anna Miller’s Restaurant is one of the original tenants, and is the chain of eateries
This fixture in the ‘Aiea neighborhood has come a long way since its Uptown and Downtown phases were built, having undergone a revamp that was completed in 2019. The multimillion-dollar ren-
“I could go on and on about how much I love this place,” he shares.
puts customers first.” Another longtime business
That sense of community — with its tenants and the public at large — is some- thing Pearlridge has always embraced.
An extension of putting people first can be seen in Pearlridge’s free weekly event offerings that cater to a variety of hobbyists from card collectors to art enthusi- asts to those looking to help. It makes Pearlridge more than just a shopping and dining