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.
“We are excited to open a new Safeway store in the heart of Kona,” said Clayton Eto, Hawaii district manager. “From the product selection to the design layout of the new store, customers will find greater selections, convenience and variety. We’ve created a fresh look and feel to the shopping experience to bring the best of Safeway to Kona residents and visitors.”
The new store, led by Store Director John Perillo, will be open 6 a.m. to midnight and employ over 175 team members, approximately half of the employees are from the previous store.
In honor of the grand opening, a private blessing was held with store management, and the Safeway Foundation made $2,500 donations to the Arc of Kona and Family Support Services of West Hawaii. The store will offer customer giveaways throughout the week.