JC Penney space at Pearlridge

**Linkmeister** · July 27th, 2005, 11:19 AM

Does anyone remember what's supposed to go there? I walked into Pearlridge Uptown (or Phase I, as we oldtimers insist on calling it) yesterday and discovered that the Waldenbooks/Borders Express space is closed up and emptied out. I seem to recall there was talk of a larger Borders moving into part of the Penneys space.

Anyone know? If I have to drive to Waikele to go to a bookstore I'm not gonna be happy.

**adrian** · July 27th, 2005, 12:02 PM

Originally Posted by Linkmeister

Does anyone remember what's supposed to go there? I walked into Pearlridge Uptown (or Phase I, as we oldtimers insist on calling it) yesterday and discovered that the Waldenbooks/Borders Express space is closed up and emptied out. I seem to recall there was talk of a larger Borders moving into part of the Penneys space.

Anyone know? If I have to drive to Waikele to go to a bookstore I'm not gonna be happy.

I believe there will be a larger Borders there (and I thought the current bookstore there is still open?)

**scrivener** · July 27th, 2005, 12:03 PM

They're putting a Barnes & Noble in the Penney's space at Ala Moana, so it wouldn't surprise me if Borders was pulling the same thing at Pearlridge, but I haven't heard about it. I can't imagine that Borders would just abandon Pearlridge like that, can you? On the other hand, even if Borders were moving into that new space, why would it not keep the express store running until it was ready to welcome customers in the expanded space? I'm baffled, too.

**adrian** · July 27th, 2005, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by scrivener

They're putting a Barnes & Noble in the Penney's space at Ala Moana, so it wouldn't surprise me if Borders was pulling the same thing at Pearlridge, but I haven't heard about it. I can't imagine that Borders would just abandon Pearlridge like that, can you? On the other hand, even if Borders were moving into that new space, why would it not keep the express store running until it was ready to welcome customers in the expanded space? I'm baffled, too.

I think it'll be the same thing for compusa/Good guys if/when they'll build a store near the currently constructed Wal-Mart (and FYI, they'll be a Sam's Club gas station in the same vacinity) even though compusa is about a 5 minute drive away in Waikele.

**Linkmeister** · July 27th, 2005, 02:25 PM

I dug a little and found a PBN story from 2004. Might have to go to Colliers Mgmt to see what updates there are.

Ok, I did. Pages 3 & 4 (pdf) are diagrams of the space layout. Looks like two 20,000sf spaces at the Diamond Head end (floors 1 & 2) and many smaller ones.

**pzarquon** · July 27th, 2005, 02:34 PM

I think that upper deck space would be perfect for a bookstore like Borders. In fact, after I saw the sign, I could immediately see it busy and bustling.

I hope they make use of the storefront area for outdoor seating and suchlike. The lanai at Ward is nice, but there's nothing like it at Waikele, or Barnes & Noble in Kahala, for that matter.

Great digging, Link! That artist's rendering is helpful. So the former "main" JCPenny's entrance will instead now open into a shared common space (an extension of the mall), and a new tenant-specific door is being put in to the right, near where those odd stairs are right now.

So now I'm not sure if the Borders is going to be an "anchor tenant" on the ground level ("Retail 1GHI" with 26,703sf) or on the deck near Inspiration ("Retail 20" with 22,601sf). The latter is the better position and would work better for a bookstore than a furniture place, IMHO.

I recall that Inspiration was the first mover on the JCPenny's space a while back, and that they were definitely looking to move in, so it might be the other main tenant of the larger space on either floor (above or below Borders).

Oh well. There goes my temporarily slightly-less-packed parking area...

**Glen Miyashiro** · July 27th, 2005, 02:38 PM

Whenever I go to Pearlridge, I'm always struck by how jam-packed it is. It's really the only mall around for the entire Leeward side, and with the ballooning populations out in 'Ewa and Kapolei, it's only gotten more and more popular. I'm just surprised that the JC Penney space has stayed empty as long as it has.