On Oʻahu, a new grocery store concept is coming to Kailua — replacing a familiar name.
After nearly 70 years in business, the Times Supermarket in Kailua will be closing at the end of March.
The store opened in 1957 as the third location of Times Supermarkets, founded by brothers Albert and Wallace Teruya.
About 60 years ago, Times was acquired by Pan Pacific International Holdings Corp, which has more than 700 retail shops throughout Asia, Hawaiʻi and California.
Its Hawaiʻi presence is bigger than you might guess.
The local division of the company manages 17 Times stores on Oʻahu, Maui and Kauaʻi, as well as five Big Save Markets, Shima’s Supermarket and Fujioka’s Wine Times.
It also operates three Don Quijote locations and one Marukai store in Hawaiʻi.
The company plans to reopen in Kailua with a concept called Tokyo Central, which currently has seven locations in California.
These stores offer imported Japanese grocery products, snacks, beverages and liquor, bentos, sushi, seafood and produce.
An opening date for Tokyo Central has not been announced.
