US (HAWAII). DFS Group has flatly rejected media suggestions that it is ‘departing’ from Hawaii – along with Hong Kong one of the travel retailer’s two original platforms from the 1960s.
In a response to an article in local media Pacific Business News headlined ‘Hawaii investors to acquire Waikiki Galleria Tower following DFS departure’, DFS told merchants and partners in a note seen by The Moodie Davitt Report: “We are aware of reports circulating that imply DFS is ‘departing’ from Hawaii. This is categorically not true.”
The report noted that Hawaii investors led by BlackSand Capital are in contract to buy the Waikiki Galleria Tower on Kalakaua Avenue where, it added, DFS Group last year “closed” its 75,000sq ft T Galleria by DFS during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In January 2021, the company chose not to renew its lease at the Walk. DFS still retains ownership and occupation of the five-storey T Galleria by DFS, Hawaii building that fronts onto Lewers Street and Royal Hawaiian Avenue.
DFS said: “Our store is currently in a state of dormancy in view of the continued halt of international travel to Hawaii. Our Honolulu airport operations also remain temporarily closed until international flights resume. As yet we have no visibility on when that will happen.”
The company concluded: “DFS remains fully committed to the State of Hawaii, where we have operated for 60 years. We look forward to serving international travellers to this iconic holiday destination, both in Honolulu as well as elsewhere in Hawaii, for many years to come.”
Footnote: As reported, in March DFS reopened two of its stores in Maui’s Kahului Airport which had been temporarily closed due to the pandemic. The stores, which serve a currently limited amount of passenger traffic between Hawaii and the US mainland, and branded as Kahului Trading Company, offer a range of goods including local souvenirs, food and gifts.
