Shoppers flock to new Safeway store in Kailua-Kona

Wednesday, Dec. 16 marked the grand opening of Kailua-Kona’s new Safeway location in the Niumalu Marketplace. The 63,000-square-foot supermarket is the first shop to open in the marketplace between Lanihau Center and Henry Street. (Tom Linder/West Hawaii Today)

Wednesday, Dec. 16 marked the grand opening of Kailua-Kona’s new Safeway location in the Niumalu Marketplace. The 63,000-square-foot supermarket is the first shop to open in the marketplace between Lanihau Center and Henry Street. (Tom Linder/West Hawaii Today)

Wednesday, Dec. 16 marked the grand opening of Kailua-Kona’s new Safeway location in the Niumalu Marketplace. The 63,000-square-foot supermarket is the first shop to open in the marketplace between Lanihau Center and Henry Street. (Tom Linder/West Hawaii Today)

Wednesday, Dec. 16 marked the grand opening of Kailua-Kona’s new Safeway location in the Niumalu Marketplace. The 63,000-square-foot supermarket is the first shop to open in the marketplace between Lanihau Center and Henry Street. (Tom Linder/West Hawaii Today)

Wednesday marked the grand opening of Kailua-Kona’s new Safeway location in the Niumalu Marketplace. The 63,000-square-foot supermarket — 25% larger than the previous location in the Kona Crossroads Shopping Center — is the first shop to open in the marketplace between Lanihau Shopping Center and Henry Street.