WAIPOULI — Kevin Chung, ABC Stores district manager for Kauai stores, said he’s been told the Island Country Market has the best fried rice around.
He was joined by officials from ABC Stores, the Coconut MarketPlace shopping center, and Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr., in blessing and dedicating the fourth ABC Store to open on Kauai, the Island Country Market, Tuesday morning ahead of doors opening to the public at The Coconut MarketPlace.
Island Country Market is described as the flagship store for ABC on Kauai with the introduction of its delicatessen section and the Island Gourmet Coffee with a unique tea bar within the confines of the store measuring out at 13,000 square feet.
“This is ABC’s fourth store on Kauai in 15 years,” said Paul Kosasa, ABC Stores president and CEO. “When we visited here in 2014, our mission was to keep it local. We needed to fix things up, and we want to bring life back to this place where we understood there was a race track nearby, and people from all over would come and gather in Kapaa.”
Kosasa said to this end he wants to fill the MarketPlace with local tenants and have activities such as the movie night to bring life back.
“When I walked in, I could feel the aloha,” said Lady Ipo Ferreira of the Ke Akua Mana Church who officiated over the blessing and dedication. “I was here on the final days of some of the shops before the renovations, and now, with the new store, it has a good feeling.”
LeeAnn Fernandez, manager of the ABC Store in downtown Kapaa, said the new Island Country Market has been busy since opening about a week ago.
“People like the sit-down area outside the store,” Fernandez, who operated the temporary ABC Store during the construction of Island Country Market said.
Jonathan Dahilog is the manager for the Island Country Market, which is open seven days a week.
