International Marketplace closed forever!?!

I was just doing some research on places to see and things to do in Hawaii (my new fav hobby!!). I was reading a fellow cruise critics review and she (liked many people) mentioned going to the international marketplace. I thought I would google it to check it out and their site was shut down. Upon further review it seems that it closed after the new year.

It appears a shopping mall and saks with be put in it's place.

Here is a link to the article I read:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/02/waikiki-international-market-place_n_4532155.html

I just wanted to let anyone else know you might be planning on visiting that it is no longer there!! :(

There were many "going out of business" sales going on when we were there in November. Bought several things.

Thank you for letting us know...............but we are so disappointed. We have not been to Hawaii before and were looking forward to visiting the International Market In April.

Lynda

Try the Aloha Stadium Flea Market/Swap Meet instead. We found the prices to be lower and the sellers more amenable to haggling over the price. Not much shade, so be prepared with a hat or small umbrella and a big bottle of water.

That is true, it is gone. Next to go is the nice little Kings Village (small stores and ambient place). Both sites will be replaced my big stores (Saks) and high end condos.

We were looking forward to go back there this coming September. Fun to see the wood carvers and craftsmen, browse the shops and eat a cheap lunch in the food court.

Try the Aloha Stadium Flea Market/Swap Meet instead. We found the prices to be lower and the sellers more amenable to haggling over the price. Not much shade, so be prepared with a hat or small umbrella and a big bottle of water.

Beware some of the food products there like chocolates. My friend got some boxes and they had bugs in them... Were really old.

Was very disappointed when I read this a few days ago. We are cruiseing to Hawaii in Sept. with our DD & SIL and wanted them to see the market place. DH and I have seen it before. A nice place to kill a couple of hours 2-3 times in a week. Loved it! Sorry to see it gone.

I have had the opportunity to travel to Hawaii 8 times and every time we went to the international Market place.

The first was on our Honeymoon in 1991, where we bought decorative fans and drink coasters ( I still have them).

The last time we went was in 2009.

At night we enjoyed watching the street people doing their frozen statue thingie, only bought a wristlet that time.

I will miss the place:(

Sea Ya

This is the first time I learned of the closing. We were on Oahu on the Grand Princess on Dec 27, but we didn't go to Waikiki since we've been there many times. Had we known, we would have gone to the Int'l Mkt one final time. So bummed to hear this.

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Thanks to the OP for the link to the article. We have been going to Hawaii for years, love the Waikiki area and loved the International Market Place. I can well imagine that locals and visitors alike will miss it a lot. I can't imagine I would even venture into a Saks store while on vacation in Hawaii! What a shame to take away that fun and funky part of the Waikiki area. I know the closure has been talked about for several years, and we are sad to know the final decision has been made and is in progress. We'll savour the memories....... and thank goodness they do not plan to destroy that Banyan Tree.

All those 20 and 30-somethings who come over to Waikiki from the Far East will be very happy to have a cheesy place with cheap tourist trinkets replaced by a high-priced Saks;) Do a sociological demographics study of who really comes and shops on K Ave… that's why you see all those high-end stores instead of more tourist shops.