KAILUA-KONA — Old Navy is coming to Kailua-Kona.
The national retailer featuring an array of men’s, women’s and children’s apparel is slated to open in the latter part of 2020 in the Kona Commons, a spokesperson for the shopping center confirmed this week.
It’ll occupy a portion of the former Sports Authority, which has essentially sat vacant, with the exception of several events, since the big box retailer closed in 2016. The 40,000-square-foot site will be divided into three smaller spaces with Old Navy confirmed as one of the tenants.
“The other two will be very exciting announcements,” the spokesperson said, but was unable to divulge additional information until everything is finalized.
The Kailua-Kona location will be Old Navy’s fifth store in Hawaii, and the second on Hawaii Island. The retailer opened a 15,600-square-foot store at the Prince Kuhio Plaza in January 2016. There are two locations on Oahu and one on Maui.
Old Navy announced plans this fall to open 800 new locations as part of an upcoming split from parent company the Gap. Gap announced earlier this year, and confirmed in early November to Reuters, that they planned to spin off Old Navy into its own public company in 2020.
The first Old Navy store opened in 1994 in Colma, California, and as of February, the 25-year-old company had about 1,140 stores. Company leaders, according to USA Today, said the plan was to open up around 75 stores a year, “focused on off-mall locations.”
Attempts to contact Old Navy representatives for comment Friday were not successful.
Kona Commons opened in fall 2008. It comprises the 160,000-square-foot Target store, which opened in 2009, and the 130,000-square-foot first phase kitty-cornered and bound by Makala Boulevard and Queen Kaahumanu Highway.
