In between vacant shops, “sale” and “closing” signs fill Ward Warehouse, which is set to close July 31 to make way for landlord Howard Hughes Corp.’s construction of a park and two luxury condominiums. Despite the impending closure, Novel-T World’s Stephanie and Darrell Ching have been the mall’s biggest cheerleaders over the past two years, trying to persuade fellow tenants to stay until the end.

But for many it was more important to look to the future. Honolulu Cookie Co. opened a new shop on the ground level of International Market Place. Cinnamon Girl and Nohea Gallery also decided to try their luck in Waikiki by moving into the Hyatt Regency Waikiki’s Pualeilani Atrium Shops. Cinnamon Girl reopened last month, and Nohea is slated to open in August.

“It’s been sad to see them go,” said Stephanie Ching. “It was really sad to see the Liquor Collection go because it was here before us.”

Jay Tyson was the original owner of Novel-T World in 1981, moving in six years after Ward Warehouse opened. The wooden structure was intended as a temporary, 20-year placeholder for a condominium project. It lasted twice as long, as the property changed hands from Victoria Ward to General Growth and then Howard Hughes.

In 1981 Darrell Ching was a T-shirt sales representative with a retail concession at the Navy Exchange. In addition to wholesaling shirts to Tyson, he offered shop advice. Two years later he became Tyson’s partner before buying the business from him in 1988.

Novel-T World won shoppers over with a selection of thousands of shirts bearing a mix of funny local puns and artwork, tie-ins to films and television shows, cartoon characters and personalization services.

“We started when T-shirts were in their heyday,” Ching said. “We were in a location where we were able to sell to tourists and locals, and it was also a time when the Japanese coming here spent more.

“Today their tourist numbers are high, but they’re spending way less because their society has changed. Before, they had to do omiyage, so they spent most of their time shopping for gifts for everyone, and a T-shirt was a great gift. Today, omiyage is not as big a requirement anymore. Instead of shopping, they’re looking for more activities. They’re more independent.”

Pop culture phenomena helped fuel the business. In 1997 the Chings were at a trade show when they were told Pokemon was going to become a phenomenon.

“We bought four designs in kids’ sizes, and they all blew out the door, so we bought more,” he said. “We became a one-stop shop for Pokemon, and I had to learn more about it because I had no knowledge about it at the time.”

Release of the Pokemon game app last year brought a resurgence of interest, and Ching said “it still sells OK.”

Novel-T World’s biggest hit came in 1999, when the Chings partnered with Survivor T-shirt Co. to prepare celebratory T-shirts in anticipation of a University of Hawaii football team victory that would propel the team from “worst to first” in its conference.

“We got the shirt out the next day. It was on the news, in the papers, and we had lines out the door that continued for days,” Ching said. “We sold thousands of shirts. Others came out with shirts later, but everyone already knew we were the first.”

It became harder to generate that kind of buzz over time as competition grew from T-shirt shops that proliferated in malls and stand-alone shops by independent brands.

Although the Chings considered reopening in another location, they see too much trouble ahead for brick-and-mortar retail, noting that many customers whip out their smartphones to check prices online right in front of them.

Following consumers’ desire to shop online, the Chings plan to launch a website shortly after the store closes. In the meantime, fans can track them at facebook.com/NovelTWorld.

Stephanie Ching said she’ll miss the daily interaction with customers, so to keep building relationships they plan on participating in pop-up events and craft fairs around town. For nostalgia’s sake, they’ll also stick close to home by participating in New Wave Friday pop-ups at the Ward Village South Shore Market from 5 to 9 p.m. the second Friday each month.

Doing pop-ups is making them feel like they’re running a startup business again, relearning ways to display merchandise in a tent without having shirts blow off hangers and tables in windy conditions.

“We’re needing to fine-tune the merchandise, going from carrying 1,000 designs to 50, but we’re learning,” Darrell Ching said. “We’re already having a niece and nephew help with manpower, carrying boxes and setting up cement blocks. Unlocking a store is so much easier.”