Photo courtesy of Safeway.

(BIVN) – The newest Safeway in Hawaiʻi opened on Wednesday in Kona. The 63,000-square-foot store is the anchor tenant of the Niumalu Marketplace, and is 25% larger than the Kona Safeway down the road, which closed on Dec. 15th.

UPDATED – Niumalu Marketplace, located off Henry Street on the makai-side of Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway, broke ground in July 2018.

A private blessing was held with store management before the grand opening. To mark the occasion, the Safeway Foundation made $2,500 donations to the Arc of Kona and Family Support Services of West Hawaii. The store will offer customer giveaways throughout the week.

“We are excited to open a new Safeway store in the heart of Kona,” said Clayton Eto, Hawaii district manager. “From the product selection to the design layout of the new store, customers will find greater selections, convenience and variety. We’ve created a fresh look and feel to the shopping experience to bring the best of Safeway to Kona residents and visitors.”

Kumu Keala Ching presided over a private blessing with the store associates before the store opened to the general public. Photo courtesy of Safeway.

Accordong to a news release from Safeway, the store will include:

• A premium deli department with a range of freshly prepared meals and ready-to-serve options.
• A full-service butcher block featuring fresh cut meats prepared daily.
• Our signature bakery with freshly made pastries, bread, cookies, and cakes for special occasions.
• An assortment of organic, natural, and healthier-for-you choices throughout the store.
• An exclusive line of Own Brands products, including high-quality food and non-food choices.
• A dedicated pharmacy team available to manage your prescriptions, safely administer immunizations, or provide specialty care.
• In-store Starbucks, staffed with friendly baristas ready to prepare your favorite drinks.
• Contactless payment through the JustforU app.

A Safeway fuel station is also scheduled to open at the site in 2021.

The new store will be open 6 a.m. to midnight and employ over 175 team members, Safeway reps say. Approximately half of the employees are from the previous store.

A more traditional opening celebration will take place at a future date once it is safe to do so.