After 27 Years, Foodland’s Sack N Save Supermarket in Wailuku to Close, Nov. 28

A Wailuku mainstay will be shuttered as of Nov. 28.

A letter addressed to “vendor partners” dated Oct. 26, by Vice President of Sales and Operations Stacy Waiau-Omori, announced the venerable grocery store would be closing. Sack N Save had been in operation for 27 years.

Foodland Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Communications Sheryl Toda issued a statement today confirming the closure.

“Locally-owned Foodland Super Market, Ltd., Hawaiʻi’s oldest and largest grocery retailer, announced that it will close Sack N Save Wailuku at the end of day on Nov. 28, 2021.  The store opened in 1994 and currently has 60 employees. All employees will be offered positions at other Foodland stores on Maui,” the statement read.  

“Closing a store is never easy and we have carefully considered the impact the closure will have on our loyal customers and dedicated employees,” said Jenai S. Wall, Foodland Chairman and CEO.  “Unfortunately, sales at this store have not met expectations and we can no longer justify the costs of keeping it open.  We are pleased to offer all employees at Sack N Save positions at our other stores on the island.”

According to Foodland, the property would revert to its landlord upon closing. According to Maui County real property records, the owner of the parcel is listed as TH Development Inc., and the land is valued at more than $3 million.

Both Wall and Waiau-Omori thanked the store’s employees for taking care of customers like family and for working hard to make Sack N Save Wailuku a great place to shop and work.  They also thanked the store’s customers.  

“We are grateful to our Sack N Save customers for faithfully shopping with us over the years,” said Wall. “We know our employees will miss serving this community at this store and hope customers will continue to shop with us at our other Foodland locations after we close on Nov. 28.”

Foodland operates four Sack N Save stores including the one in Wailuku. There are two stores on Hawaiʻi Island and one on Oʻahu, according to a Foodland employee. Foodland closed its Sack N Save store near Aloha Stadium on June 20. That store had 71 employees, according to KHON2 News.

According to Toda, there are six other Foodland stores on Maui:  Foodland Kaʻahumanu, Foodland Kehalani, Foodland Pukalani, Foodland Kīhei, Foodland Lahaina and Foodland Farms Lahaina. 

Foodland Super Market, Ltd. is Hawaiʻi’s largest grocery retailer and the only locally owned supermarket with stores statewide. It was founded in 1948 by the late Maurice J. “Sully” Sullivan and was the first supermarket to open in Hawaiʻi, according to company executives. The kamaʻāina company currently operates 32 stores and employs more than 3,400 employees at Foodland, Sack N Save and Foodland Farms stores on four islands.