Times Supermarkets

"Times Supermarkets" (full name Times Supermarkets, Ltd.) is an American supermarket chain, headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii. Times operates 24 stores throughout the state of Hawaii, 17 using the "Times" banner, five operating under the Big Save brand on Kauai, one specialty food/liquor store under the Fujioka’s Wine Times name, and one location operating as "Shima's Supermarket" in Waimanalo, Hawaii. "A Supermarket With Everyday Low Prices" is their current slogan. It is also referred to by its customers as Times, rather than the full name.

Times Supermarkets
Subsidiary
IndustryRetail
Founded1949 (1949)
HeadquartersHonolulu, Hawaii
Number of locations
24 (2020)
ProductsBakery, dairy, deli, frozen foods, general grocery, meat, pharmacy, produce, seafood, snacks, liquor
ParentPan Pacific International Holdings
Websitewww.timessupermarkets.com

History

Times Supermarkets was founded in 1949 by brothers Albert and Wallace Teruya, who were sons of Okinawan immigrants.[1][2] The two opened its first store in Honolulu and began expanding statewide afterwards. Times is the second-largest supermarket chain in the state and the second oldest as well as it competes with another Honolulu-based supermarket chain Foodland, who is state's largest and oldest (it was founded in 1948, a year before Times began operations). It also has competition with Safeway, Costco, Don Quijote, and Walmart.

In 2002, Times Supermarkets was sold by the Teruyas to PAQ, a Stockton, California based operator of Food 4 Less stores.[3] After the Teruyas sold Times, they would later become owners of the Ilima Hotel in Honolulu.[4]

In 2008, Times acquired Shima's Market in Waimānalo.[5]

In 2009 Times acquired another Honolulu-based supermarket chain, Star Markets, from the Fujieki family,[6] giving them more locations in the Honolulu area.[7] Star was Honolulu's first supermarket chain, having started in 1940. Times then sold 2 of Star's 7 stores to CVS Pharmacy (to convert into Long's Drugs) because CVS wanted to block Walgreens from entering their respective markets. CVS/Longs Drugs had been acquiring as many locations as possible to slow Walgreens' expansion.[8]

In 2011, Times bought the Big Save chain of supermarkets on Kauai from the Kawakami and Furugen families. As a result of this acquisition, five of the six Big Save locations were kept but one had to be closed due to a Times store located nearby.[9]

On June 28, 2017, PAQ, which operated Times, Big Save, and Shima's under the subsidiary QSI, Inc., announced that it has sold the stores to the Honolulu-based division of Tokyo-based Don Quijote Holdings Co., Ltd, using an executed a stock purchase agreement with the sale closing in the 3rd quarter of 2017. The deal combined Times with three Don Quijote stores and two Marukai stores on Oahu. In a statement from Edwin Sawai, president of Don Quijote (USA) Co., Ltd. and Marukai Hawaii Co. Ltd., “The opportunity to welcome the Times Supermarket family of stores and their employees to our ohana is exciting for us,” and added that “We are confident that we will successfully work together, share ideas and learn from each other’s combined experiences to best serve Hawaii. For more than 68 years, Times Supermarket has been a local favorite and pillar of Hawaii’s retail community. We look forward to continuing their history and success in the islands.”[10] Don Quijote later re-branded as Pan Pacific International Holdings, due to their ventures expanding beyond discount retailing.

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References
  1. "About Times Supermarkets". Archived from the original on 2 April 2010.
  2. Sunderland, Susan (15 April 2009). "Times, They Are A-Changing". MidWeek. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011.
  3. Daysog, Rick (25 January 2002). "California firm to buy Times". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  4. "Ilima Hotel Review". Los Angeles Times.
  5. "Shima's Market in Waimanalo sold to Times". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. 1 October 2008.
  6. Petrello, Randi; Kalani, Nanea (6 July 2009). "Times buys Star Markets". Pacific Business Journal. American City Business Journals. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  7. "Star Markets in Ewa Beach, Moiliili may be closed, sold: New owners may shutter 'Ewa Beach, Mo'ili'ili sites". Trading Markets. 25 July 2009.
  8. Magin, Janis L. (10 November 2009). "Longs buys 2 old Star Markets". Pacific Business Journal. American City Business Journals.
  9. Gomes, Andrew (18 May 2011). "Times buys Big Save Value Centers on Kauai". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  10. Hrushka, Anna (28 June 2017). "Don Quijote acquires Hawaii-based Times Supermarkets". Pacific Business Journal. American City Business Journals.
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