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CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARADVERTISER.COM
Hilo Hattie up until early last year had seven stores in Hawaii, but has closed four stores since then including its flagship location on Nimitz Highway in Iwilei.
Local retailers Hilo Hattie and Maui Divers are expanding their partnership in a bit of a role reversal with Hilo Hattie slated to open a store within the Maui Divers Jewelry Design Center in Honolulu.
Maui Divers has long had stores within Hilo Hattie stores, and still has two such arrangements in Lahaina and Lihue.
Hilo Hattie up until early last year had seven stores in Hawaii, but has closed four stores since then including its flagship location on Nimitz Highway in Iwilei that was shuttered in October and displaced a Maui Divers store in that location.
The downsizing by Hilo Hattie was part of an effort to improve its finances along with a bankruptcy filing in February 2015.
The new store will be 2,250 square feet and is scheduled to open April 1 in the Maui Divers center that is at 1520 Liona St. about four blocks mauka of Ala Moana Center.
The company name is part of the problem. “Hilo Hattie” simply has “tourist trap and trinkets” written all over it. The store itself is a glorified ABC Store, but with more clothes and jewelry. It needs to re-brand and up its quality, and drop the cheap stuff. Well, unless they enjoy appealing to the cheap baubles and cheesy souvenir customers.