International Market Place

International Market Place
Name	International Market Place
Caption	The International Market Place in Waikīkī
Location	Honolulu, Hawaii
Opening date	1956 (original), 2016 (redeveloped)
Owner	Taubman Centers (former), RFR Holding LLC (current)
Architect	Group 70 International (redevelopment)
Number of stores	approx. 70
Floor area	approx. 475000sqft

International Market Place is a shopping center and public gathering space located in Waikīkī, Honolulu, on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaii. Originally opened in 1956 as an open-air bazaar, it became a landmark for tourism, retail, and cultural exchange before undergoing a major redevelopment that reopened in 2016. The site is situated on Kalākaua Avenue between Kūhiō Avenue and Uluniu Avenue, adjacent to Waikīkī Beach and near landmarks such as Diamond Head.

History

The site traces its origins to 1956 when entrepreneur Ben Woodhouse and investor Charles B. Wright developed an open-air shopping complex during the postwar tourism boom that followed World War II and the admission of Hawaii as a state in 1959. In the 1960s and 1970s the property became associated with Hawaiian tourism alongside attractions like the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, Moana Surfrider, and performances by artists from the Polynesian Voyaging Society. Ownership shifted through entities including Taubman Centers and local investors, reflecting broader trends in real estate investment trust activity and international capital flows tied to Japan–United States relations. The Market Place suffered from changing retail patterns in the late 20th century, competing with malls such as the Ala Moana Center and the emergence of global brands like Nike, Inc. and Apple Inc. in Hawaii. A significant fire in 1994 catalyzed renovation efforts; the property later closed for a comprehensive redevelopment led by developers including Taubman Centers and later sold to RFR Holding LLC, whose principal, Meyer Bergman, aligned the project with luxury retail strategies seen in locations like Rodeo Drive and Fifth Avenue. The 2016 reopening introduced a new mix of international luxury brands, local retailers, and dining concepts aimed at integrating Hawaiian cultural elements with global retail models employed in cities such as Tokyo, Paris, and Los Angeles.

Architecture and Design

The redevelopment commissioned design by firms including Group 70 International and involved consultants with histories working on projects such as The Getty Center and waterfront developments in San Francisco. Architectural features emphasize an open-air, two-level layout with a central banyan tree canopy that references the site's historical landmark tree, a living link to Pacific botanical traditions found in places like Waimea Valley and the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park visitor centers. Materials and landscaping draw on regional precedents from the Bishop Museum grounds and the work of landscape architects influenced by Roberto Burle Marx and Pacific horticulture, integrating native and Polynesian-introduced species such as hala and pandanus. The design gestures to sustainability initiatives observed in developments like the International Finance Centre in Hong Kong and incorporates outdoor courtyards, water features, and transit-oriented elements akin to projects adjacent to Union Station (Los Angeles) and Grand Central Terminal. Public art commissions and galleries within the complex have connected to institutions such as the Honolulu Museum of Art and cultural practitioners associated with the Kamehameha Schools.

Retail and Dining

Retail tenants include a mix of global luxury brands, contemporary lifestyle stores, and Hawai‘i-based boutiques reflecting retail trends influenced by flagship strategies from Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and contemporary concepts seen in Selfridges and Galeries Lafayette. The tenant mix aims to balance international names with local craftspeople akin to those featured at the Ala Moana Center and the Hawai‘i Pacific University campus markets. Dining options range from quick-service venues and poke counters to full-service restaurants helmed by chefs with ties to culinary institutions such as the Culinary Institute of America and restaurants in San Francisco and New York City. Several eateries draw on Hawaiian and Pacific Islander culinary traditions related to chefs who have participated in events like the Maui Food & Wine Classic and collaborations with organizations such as the Hawai‘i Farmers Union United.

Cultural and Community Events

Programming includes live music, hula performances, lei-making demonstrations, and seasonal festivals that reference cultural calendars like Lei Day and celebrations associated with the Queen Liliuokalani legacy. The Market Place has hosted pop-up exhibitions and partnerships with organizations including the Honolulu Festival, the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, and touring exhibitions that have origins at institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution. Community outreach and educational workshops have involved collaborations with groups like the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association and cultural practitioners connected to the broader Pacific network including delegations from Samoa and Tahiti.

Ownership and Management

Ownership history involves transitions among local entrepreneurs, institutional investors, and international capital. Management practices reflect strategies used by global mall operators like Simon Property Group and Westfield Corporation, emphasizing brand curation, experiential retail, and destination marketing that interacts with agencies such as the Hawaii Tourism Authority and the City and County of Honolulu. Lease structures and investment vehicles have included partnerships with private equity and real estate firms active in the Asia-Pacific region, echoing transactions seen in markets like Singapore and Sydney.

Transportation and Accessibility

The complex is accessible via Honolulu's surface transit and road network, proximate to major thoroughfares including Kalākaua Avenue and Kūhiō Avenue, and served by TheBus routes operated by the City and County of Honolulu transit system. It lies within the Waikīkī pedestrian network connected to attractions such as Kapiʻolani Park and the Honolulu Zoo, and near transit projects like the Honolulu Rail Transit alignment that links to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. Parking facilities, drop-off areas, and pedestrian improvements mirror access solutions used in dense urban districts such as Downtown Honolulu and coastal tourist corridors in Miami Beach.

Category:Shopping malls in Honolulu