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(SOURCE: CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU)
Founded in 1973, the People’s Open Market (POM) was formed to accomplish three goals:
- Provide the opportunity to purchase fresh agricultural and aquacultural products and other food items at low cost.
- Support the economic viability of diversified agriculture and aquaculture in Hawaii by providing market sites for local farmers, fishermen, or their representatives to sell their surplus and off-grade produce.
- Provide focal point areas for residents to socialize.
An estimated half a million people shop at the 25 market sites each year. Prices are usually lower than retail stores. Many ethnic fruits and vegetables not normally found in the large retail stores are found here. Each market operates once a week and lasts about an hour.
The markets are closely regulated by the POM staff. They conduct weekly price surveys at various stores to determine a recommended price for the POM vendors to follow, supervise the arrival and departure of the POM vendors to ensure safety for both vendor and consumer, and monitor each vendor to ensure that they comply with all City, State and Federal government rules and regulations, ordinances and laws affecting their participation in the POM.
HISTORY OF THE OPEN MARKETS
The beginning of the open markets is attributed to Mrs. Joyce Fasi. After hearing concerns of women in a discussion group regarding the high cost living in Honolulu and in particular the high cost of food, she relayed these thoughts to her husband, then Mayor Frank F. Fasi. The People’s Open Market were thus started to assist farmers with selling their “off-grade”, “ungraded” and surplus produce and at the same time help lower food costs for the citizens of Honolulu. Today, the People’s Open Market has evolved and farmers now bring mainly first grade produce to sell at discounted prices.
The first People’s Open Market (POM) was started at the Banyan Court Mall location in Kalihi in November, 1973. People in other communities began requesting their own POMs. Soon, a caravan of POM farmer/vendors were traveling to various sites to help citizens purchase low cost food items.
The POM staff determines a recommended price that the vendors may sell their produce at (usually 35% below the retail prices). This is done by having the staff do weekly price checks of the retail stores in the city to calculate the POM price. The City also requires all vendors to be authorized to accept food stamps to help those who are on fixed incomes. Vendors may sell below, but not over, the recommended prices.
At the POM, you will find many kinds of ethnic fruits, vegetables and other food items that are not ordinarily available in grocery stores. Depending on the ethnic make-up of the neighborhood, you will find different varieties at different sites.
If you are interested in being a POM vendor, please contact the POM office at (808) 768-9299. There are only a few basic requirements to sign up and best of all, it’s free!
Market Schedule
Markets are CLOSED on all City Holidays!
Click on the Day of the Week or on the *name of the open market to see more information about the open market and how to get there.
| MONDAYS Honolulu City Area | TUESDAYS Leeward – Central Area |
| *Mānoa Valley District Park 2721 Kaaipu Avenue 6:45 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. *Makiki District Park 1527 Keeaumoku Street 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. *ʻĀina Moana (Magic Island) *Currently relocated to the Canoe Hale Parking Lot due to a parking lot reconstruction project* Ala Moana Regional Park 1201 Ala Moana Boulevard 10 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. *City Hall Parking Lot Deck Alapai and Beretania Streets 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | *Waiau District Park Komo Mai Drive 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. *Waipahu District Park (EBT token program) 94-230 Paiwa Street 8:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. *Wahiawā District Park (EBT token program) *Temporarily relocated to the upper parking lot near the pool off of Kilani Avenue, until further notice* N.Cane St. and California Ave. 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. *Mililani District Park 94-1150 Lanikūhana Avenue 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m |
| WEDNESDAYS Honolulu City Area | THURSDAYS Windward Area |
| *Pālolo Valley District Park 2007 Pālolo Avenue 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. *Old Stadium Park 2237 South King Street 8:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. *Kapiʻolani Park 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. | *Waimānalo Beach Park (EBT token program) 41-741 Kalanianaʻole Hwy. 7:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. *Kailua District Park 21 South Kainalu Drive 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. *Kāneʻohe District Park 45-660 Keaʻahala Road 10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. |
| FRIDAYS Leeward Area | SATURDAYS Kalihi – Hawaii Kai Area |
| *Hālawa District Park 99-795 Iwaiwa Street 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. *Ewa Beach Community Park 91-955 North Road 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. *Pōkaʻi Bay Beach Park 85-037 Pokai Bay Road 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m | *Kamehameha Community Park 1400 Kalihi Street 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. *Kaumualiʻi Street (EBT token program) 700 Kalihi Street 8:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. *Kalihi Valley District Park 1911 Kamehameha IV Road 10a.m. to 10:45 a.m. *Salt Lake Municipal Lot 5337 Likini Street 11:15 a.m. to 12 p.m. Noon *Hawaiʻi Kai Park-n-Ride 300 Keāhole Street 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. |
| SUNDAYS Leeward Area | |
| *Kapolei Community Park 91-1049 Kamaaha Loop 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. *Royal Kunia Park-n-Ride Kupuna Lp./Kupuohi St. 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. *Waikele Community Park 94-870 Lumiʻaina Street 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. |
TYPES OF PRODUCE
In multi-cultural Hawaiʻi, you’ll find a variety of foods associated with the different ethnic groups. Fresh ocean and pond fish as well as farmed shrimps and prawns are also available – many sold “live.” In addition, a variety of Hawaiʻi grown flowers, such as ginger, orchids and anthuriums are for sale.
SHOPPING TIPS
The People’s Open Market (POM) vendors are bound by a set of rules and regulations. These rules and regulations were created to ensure that the POM operates smoothly and fairly for vendors and as well as their customers. It is the vendors’ responsibility to see that their customers follow the rules and regulations. They are subject to citations and displinary action including dismissal from the program for failure to comply with the rules and regulations.Please cooperate with the POM vendors. Here are some of the POM shopping tips:
Plan ahead! There will be times that the market will start or end a little earlier or later than officially scheduled (5 – 10 minutes) due to certain conditions — traffic, road conditions, school, weather, etc.
- Do NOT bag or ask vendor to reserve items before the start of the market (sound of an air Horn)!
- Do NOT cut in lines that vendors have formed!
- Do NOT shoplift!
- Do NOT squeeze or mistreat fruits and vegetables (papayas, tomatoes, etc.)!
- Do NOT bring animals (except seeing eye/working dogs)!
- Do NOT litter!
- Do NOT ride bicyles through the shopping area. Park on the sides of the POM.
- Do NOT park illegally, double park or block driveways!
- Park in marked stalls ONLY!
- Bring your own shopping bags, packages and cartons!
- Be careful when the POM vendors’ trucks and vans are entering or leaving a POM site!
- Be considerate of other shoppers!
- Bring small bills and coins!
PLEASE KOKUA! MAHALO!
To save on food bills, shop around – compare prices!
For more information, contact:
People’s Open Market Supervisor
1527 Keʻeaumoku Street
Honolulu, HI 96822
Phone: (808) 768-9299
E-mail: openmarket@honolulu.gov
Click HERE for a link to the People’s Open Market Rules and Regulations.
