South Shore Market — Attraction in Honolulu

Definitely more upscale in feel and Millennial in vibe than any other mall in a reasonable radius, besting Ala Moana in its upscale and comfortable feel. Why? Yeah, the usual TJ Maxx but better maintained, and no Chanel/Ferragamo/Apple, but: -beautiful living walls -clean community tables -covered outdoor tables with views -clean water features -WiFi that works -electrical outlets/charging stations near tables -climate control (TIP: sit at the table near Big Bad Wolf; there are two outlets in the floor. Or sit at the community table by the large indoor mural and there are many outlets in the pillar. Or sit in Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf for outlets. Or at the entrance for the parking structure, near the living wall, there are also outlets there & usually a table there; sometimes it is moved to care for the living wall.) -local rotating art installations (thank you, Pow! Wow! & Big Bad Wolf) -emphasis on Native Hawaiian-owned businesses & goods -a gourmet hand-mixed ice cream shop that quietly donates a part of its proceeds to support cancer research (Lucy's Lab? Yep, Lucy is the founder's family member. Ask them about it.) -curated boutiques by small local companies, local coffee shops -local-owned restaurants (Scratch! Yes, you guys!) -health food bars that sell locally-produced goods (Shaka Tea from the Big Island at Nalu!), reducing your carbon footprint, helping you live longer, and supporting your friendly neighborhood farmer all at once!

For the old school folks looking to grab and go, there is also Holo Holo Market selling Foodland poke bowls at the same Foodland prices (right next to the Coffee Bean, another Foodland company) with bento and musubi also at VERY reasonable prices ($7 poke bowls; $2.19 musubi, $2-5 large Deli sandwiches, $6-8 full-size bento, $1-3 gourmet large can drinks, etc.) for this location.

Super clean bathrooms with hard-working folks turning the room over regularly.

Water fountains with water bottle adjustments so you can fit your entire water bottle under there, with a filter indicator.

Ground floor parking has Reserved stalls for electric vehicle users with chargers. Love this! Ample handicapped parking.

Free covered parking that is monitored closely by security. Do not be surprised if they chalk your tires to ensure that you are there to shop and not just homesteading or a nearby condo resident using the facility is parking. I like that actually - - no break-ins and no cars left there for weeks.

Stairwells are clearly marked, and frequently used. Stairwells are clean and well-lighted.

Several elevators--a set by parking & another on building itself. The large elevators, especially those on the building itself, are a joy for disabled/mobility-impaired folks or strollers. No squeezing and feeling super awkward if you have a double stroller! Excellent!

Family-friendly, low-drama. Everyone from safety-shirt guys to college students to retiree tourists to yoga folks with mats to young families all strollered up. Something for everyone, and a favorite...

I thought South Shore Market was an actual supermarket until today. According to my friend, this building was supposed to be a Whole Foods Market, but the discovery of human remains during construction delayed the project, so Whole Foods built at another location a block away. The building was completed regardless.

THE MARKET: The end result is a mini indoor mall that is occupied by about 20 locally-owned shops and eateries, a segment that'll never get old in this vibrant, foodie city. There is a small section of communal tables & chairs inside, along with a few outdoor ones, but they're unprotected from the elements.

PARKING: A small garage provides complimentary parking, shared with nearby businesses.

EXPERIENCE: Our friend wanted to check out one of the clothing stores here, so we followed suit. I was happy to see that a biz I had bookmarked for a while, Lucy's Lab Creamery, was here too, so I finally got to try them (but has since closed). The facilities are clean and well-maintained.

OVERALL: An excellent use of space that was divided up to bring in more businesses...

I was fortunate enough to be able to come to a soft opening for the market but now everything was open yet. The layout is very spacious and has a nice warehouse vibe to it, although it's not a huge space like some of the other complexes in Ward Village. Although it is warehouse like with no ceilings and silver foil tubes above, it's air conditioned. There are a lot of nice touches with the strung lights, the wood store facades, the balloon painting on the wall, the furniture. There are some food places if you need to grab a pick me up like Coffee Bean or Lucy's Lab, but most of the new shops are retail/clothing.

One of my favorite boutiques is here, Eden in Love! I will definitely miss Ward Warehouse but this is a nice new addition to the Ward Village family.

New member to Ward. Love the layout of the place. Will miss...