Kukuiula-Village-Center

Kukui’ula Village Retail Center

Kukui’ula Village Retail Center is without a doubt the biggest community upgrade (in terms of shopping & dining destinations) to come Koloa’s way in a long time.  Since Kukui’ula became a reality years ago, developers have had their share of challenges along the way.  Short lived pockets of T-shirt wearing protesters, a slew of residents complaining of dust clouds, environmentalists taughting concerns, and a county council that at the time seemed to have had it’s arms crossed are just a few issues off the top of a long list which developers of Kukui’ula were forced to navigate through in order to stay a float before the public.

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Now that most of those issues have run their coarse and things down at the village retail site are taking shape, it seems the general consensus about the Kukui’ula Village Center has an air more of “Excited Expectation”, than of the years ago appearance of “Unorganized Outrage”.

The Kukui’ula Retail Center is comprised of more than 87,400 square feet of boutiques, cafes and exotic restaurants, a local country store and a weekly farmer’s market.  Kukui’ula Village Retail Center is slated to open in the summer of 2009 and will provide a true island experience to everyone.

The new shopping complex is thought to bring an estimated 250 new jobs to Kauai’s island residents.  Finding good island residents with big smiles shouldn’t be hard to come by either.  The Kukui‘ula Shopping Village will be hosting a job fair to help fill its roster with workers sometime closer to its opening.

Robert Mayhew of Madison Marquette Retail Services has said a soft opening in mid-summer is planned.  In addition to the new retailers, Kukui‘ula Shopping Village offers opportunities for business entrepreneurs.

One of many shops at Kukui'ula Village Retail Center

The leasing team anticipates that the Kukui‘ula Shopping Village will be a dominant shopping location by the fourth quarter of this year.

The following is a list of businesses you may find within the new shopping village…

• Merriman’s – A three-time finalist in the James Beard Awards for Best Chef, Pacific Northwest and Hawai‘i, and Merriman’s Cafe will feature a Mediterranean menu that combines flavors from North Africa to Greece to Italy with products from Hawai‘i. The restaurant will offer a more formal dining atmosphere with a panoramic view that encompasses the hills of Kalaheo and the point at Koloa Landing.  Merriman’s Kaua‘i will feature fresh fish and locally grown and raised produce and meats.

• Quiksilver shop will offer a blend of Quiksilver and Roxy sportswear, accessories, surf boards, body boards and skateboards.  Unique to the Kukui‘ula location will be exclusive Quiksilver and Roxy Po‘ipu T-shirts.

• Lappert’s Hawai‘i Coffee and Ice Cream is the second shop that has come in on the ground floor of Kukui‘ula Shopping Village.