Nearly all restaurants, stores at Hilo mall are now open

Almost all stores and restaurants in Prince Kuhio Plaza have reopened since closing during the initial COVID-19 lockdown in March.

Stores have been steadily reopening since the Hilo mall officially opened for business again May 9.

Accessibility to personal protective equipment and employees’ ability to return to jobs affected how quickly stores could reopen.

As of Wednesday, Farmers Insurance, Regal Prince Kuhio theaters, the Social Security office, Sprint store, Strictly Native, The Walking Company and Yogurtland remain closed.

“Strictly Native should be reopening soon and possibly this weekend,” said Prince Kuhio Plaza manager Daniel Kea. “The Sprint store will be closing permanently.”

The Social Security office is closed, but is still taking calls and is available online.

Some of The Walking Company stores are open on the mainland, but all Hawaii locations remain closed.

“Yogurtland is still closed, because it is a self-service business,” Kea said. “I don’t think they have gotten the OK to open again.”

Most of the tenants inside and outside the mall have returned and are following the same health and safety standards and social distancing policy required by the mall and Hawaii County.

Patrons are required to wear masks before entering the mall and are encouraged to stay 6 feet apart. Communal spaces are closed, and hand-sanitizing stations were installed throughout the mall and in store entrances.

Property management associate Makanalani Guillermo with Prince Kuhio Plaza has been updating the mall’s website regularly when stores and restaurants reopen.

The updated list can be found at www.princekuhioplaza.com/en/directory/open-stores.html.

Email Kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com