Located in one of the most exclusive resort areas on the Hawaiian island of Maui, the ABC Store at Wailea Mall needed to appeal to tourists who are bombarded with other retail venues. In this case, another “mom and pop” shop would not be suitable for this convenience-store chain. It required a smartly designed site for both tourists and locals.
The 5500-square-foot store is the retailer's flagship location in Hawaii. ABC management wanted the site to reflect its evolving public image as an upscale, large-scale mall location dedicated to the local community. Honolulu-based AM Partners was brought in to help create a store full of high-standard merchandising, custom-made fixturing and architectural creativity. Designers used a nautical theme to anchor the store to the ocean/beachfront atmosphere, giving visitors the feeling of shopping within the galley of a luxurious sailing yacht. The storefront is finished with a combination of brushed stainless steel and cherry and mahogany woods to blend in with the surrounding upscale neighborhood. Richly stained woods, bands of steel trim and curved sea green glass inside add to the lavish look. Sailcloth light fixtures play on the nautical theme, drawing eyes upward with their soft lights. Arte Provera colored concrete swirls across the textured floor. Oak or Brazilian cherry flooring sets off key areas, such as the clothing shop.
The centrally placed cashwrap island serves as a “control center,” with departments and displays curling around it. Customers can find groceries, cosmetics, souvenirs, books, CDs and videos. Convenience items are placed near impulse items to encourage meandering through the space. Client Design Team: ABC Stores, Honolulu — Paul Kosasa, vice president; Willie Nishi, executive vice president
Design Team: AM Partners Inc., Honolulu — Charles Lau, principal-in-charge; Ken Kashimoto, Carianne Abara and James Francisco, project managers
Outside Consultants: Engineering Systems, Honolulu — Joseph Nguyen; Leung Pang, Honolulu — Clayton Pang
Suppliers: Bose, Framingham, Mass. (audio/video); Interfinish, Chicago (ceilings); North Sails Hawaii, Honolulu, (fabrics); Southwest Metal Smiths Inc., Phoenix (fixturing/furniture); Progressive Concrete, Escondido, Calif. (flooring); Collins Aikman, Dalton, Ga. (carpeting); Creative Signs Graphics Inc., Honolulu (signage/graphics); Prescolite, Cheshire, Conn., Bega, Carpinteria, Calif., Columbia, Spokane, Wash. (lighting); Formica, Cincinnati, Wilsonart, Temple, Texas (laminates); Innovations, San Francisco (wall coverings)
Photography: Rae Huo, Honolulu