First look: New Safeway Beretania

is that a stainless steel apple, which only you could eat?

I know that we're always looking for "more" nowadays...more options, more convenience, more sophistication..but it comes at such a high cost (figuratively speaking) when it puts so many smaller/local stores out of business!! It's sad to see scores of Hawaii-people relegated to the role of "worker-bee drones," just an anonymous speck among thousands of employees getting paid minimum wage by some big-box mainland chain that really doesn't care about them individually whatsoever. Local families work two or three jobs just to survive, but then turn around & send millions of dollars of our of hard-earned money to mainland corporations, to support corporate big-wigs on the mainland, while we continue to cry & complain "why isn't there enough money to go around in Hawaii??" Anyway, I guess my point is that we should all try to shop at locally-owned stores, rather than the Safeways & Wal-Marts & Targets & Costcos that keep invading our island home...or at least think about the ramifications of our day-to-day choices. Giant conglomerations like these have more than enough business on the mainland to keep them fat & wealthy, but the little local stores here in Hawaii really just have US. If we're going to spend money one way or another, it might as well be from local businesses that truly have heart & roots here in Hawaii.

So Cool. Hilo has a new Safeway too. And yes, it was crazy on opening day. Still busy.

Mari! Did you know you were taking a picture of Yong in #30?

I live right up the street from the new Safeway and usually (except for during rush hour) take Piikoi to get home... I've noticed a slight increase in traffic, but so far not much more than usual. Pretty impressed by the deli section at the new Safeway, actually.

Poor Times Supermarket next door.

Looks very similar to the Kapahulu store, and a lot better than the old Safeway on Beretania. But wondering what this will do to traffic overall on Piikoi.