The Old International Market Place VS New (A Real Look & Sneak Peak) - Is this really progress? (Honolulu: to buy, marketplace)
OahuIncludes Honolulu
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I found footage of what the new international market place will look like. I will let you be the judge if this is progress? But as you compare the video of the Old International Market Place which has been around for generations with the new one, ask yourself this? Does the new marketplace represent the spirit of the old international market place or its feel? Or does the new one look and feel like other places that changed in Honolulu due to progress only with more nature?
Well. The international marketplace turned into a complete dump the past 10 years. Rats, garbage, and filth. A moot point, since it has been torn down.
The new Marketplace looks nice. Looks like the Lewers Street redevelopment in a way. And from the video it looks like there will be free entertainment as well.
I really did not like going into the old International Marketplace. It was no longer anything like it was originally intended to be.
But reality is that the old International Marketplace is not really a piece of Hawaiian Culture. It was basically a mall built to cater to Tourists in 1957. The theme of building it as a collection of Polynesian village buildings was intended to be a tourists attraction and draw tourists ianti spend their money. And the new Marketplace is nothing more and nothing less.
The new International Marketplace in design looks like it will be more open,and not so gloomy, like the old International Market place became. There will be more room between the vendors, to move around and you have the upstairs also to check out. I might go down after the new International Market Place is open, just to check it out. It will cater to the Tourist, like the old Market Place. So won't be spending much time their anyway. It still won't bring back the local people to come for a meal on Sundays, like originally when the old market place opened, even though it was intended for the tourist.
Im going to have to trust you guys on the condition of the old international market place because i haven't been there since the early 80s, it was very pretty at night back then. The koa fish ponds were litup and with the japanese walkways and ricepaper type screen walls with bamboo it was gorgeous.
The new international market place in my opinion reminds me of the new Ala Moana only with open air (the old Ala Moana was open air), take most of the palm trees and the banyan tree away, it wouldn't look any different? Not to be negative but it kinda reminded me of something you would expect from a theme park marketplace?
Mahalo for your feedback guys.
P.S Yeah the quality of the old international market place video wasn't the greatest.
Im going to have to trust you guys on the condition of the old international market place because i haven't been there since the early 80s, it was very pretty at night back then. The koa fish ponds were litup and with the japanese walkways and ricepaper type screen walls with bamboo it was gorgeous.
The new international market place in my opinion reminds me of the new Ala Moana only with open air (the old Ala Moana was open air), take most of the palm trees and the banyan tree away, it wouldn't look any different? Not to be negative but it kinda reminded me of something you would expect from a theme park marketplace?
Mahalo for your feedback guys.
P.S Yeah the quality of the old international market place video wasn't the greatest.
I would say this new market is somewhere in between a million and a billion times better than the marketplace that just closed. Coincidentally, I used to frequent the IMP in the late 70's and early 80's as well. I was a bit young at that time but can still recall how mesmerizing it was to stroll through. Those candlemakers were a hoot to watch. But over the years it lost its appeal. The last time I went there was about 3 years ago and like others have said, it's quite depressing... especially the deeper you went into it. It's not only dark but everything there just feels dirty. Hard to describe but I can assure you it's NOTHING like it was in the early 80's when you were last there.
I would say this new market is somewhere in between a million and a billion times better than the marketplace that just closed. Coincidentally, I used to frequent the IMP in the late 70's and early 80's as well. I was a bit young at that time but can still recall how mesmerizing it was to stroll through. Those candlemakers were a hoot to watch. But over the years it lost its appeal. The last time I went there was about 3 years ago and like others have said, it's quite depressing... especially the deeper you went into it. It's not only dark but everything there just feels dirty. Hard to describe but I can assure you it's NOTHING like it was in the early 80's when you were last there.
Mahalo pj, its always good to compare experience and realities with others from the same time. I was also mesmerised too lol.
The video of the new setup is exciting!! It falls much more in line with what is already both up and down the strip from there. I think it will bring more visitors because it will be more of an exciting place to be in and around...like Vegas shopping areas.
I think it's great. Bring in the modern and get away from the run down 40yr+ decor.
The old marketplace was 'interesting' - in a put-your-wallet-in-your-front-pocket kind of way. It reminded me of what I would see if I went to a marketplace in a run down 3rd world country, not one in the US. If I want cheap tourist crud, I can always go to the stadium on saturday.
It may have been great at one point, but time for something new.
Someone paid a LOT of money for that computer fly through. Fascinating just for that.
The new market is sort of generic Hawaii tourist shopping, I don't see the quirky little vendors setting up in the new space, which is a pity since I liked all the oddball little things they'd sell. Guess they will move to the swap meet out at the stadium.
I spend a couple hours shopping, well, trying to shop, at Ala Moana late last year. There wasn't anything there for folks to buy. Lots of big stores that only had a few items, I have no idea how they pay their rent. They have this huge retail space and there's no content, reminds me of a lot of blogs out there. There didn't seem to be a lot of folks carrying shopping bags, either. I suspect this new retail space will be set up the same. Loads of space, a few items, none of which are really what anyone from around here will want. Guess they will ship all the stuff in just to sell it to folks who will take it someplace else.
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