ABC Stores

So I have come to the realization that water has becoming a new source for local government to own. I came in here for a one liter bottle of Dasani Water bottle today because I took a long walk around the park and I was sweating profusely. So I came into this particular store, the clerks were nice, but the manager was the one who rang me up. For a Dasani water bottle cost me $ 1.99 base price, plus the bottle fee, sales tax, AND a drink tax. I’m come to the realization that this is ridiculous. I ended up paying $ 2.25 for the drink. Not her fault but I asked her nicely and she treated me harshly like as if I didn’t know the laws in Hawaii. Hey I may not know *all* of Hawaii’s tax codes (as I am a bookkeeper) but I am very much aware of what’s going on with Hawaii. Plus I was told that if I didn’t like being charged so much, I could *write* to the governor, but I doubt he would care about a letter from a tourist unless it involves death or a serious safety hazard. But I understand it’s her job so I will not hold 100% against her.

It’s got everything you need. SAVE YOUR RECEIPTS. We were informed once you’ve accumulated $ 100 worth of purchases you get a prize.

The salad I got 20% off because it was close to expiration was pretty tasty.
The staff are friendly.
An inflatable raft is $ 2.99, which is a great price. The homeless here in Hawaii use them to sleep on.
But…
If a female is on vacation and gets an unexpected visit from Aunt Flo, the ABC store may be convenient, but they’re going to gauge you with the price for feminine hygiene products! It’s really not fair! I can see gauging people for alcohol and cigarettes and candy and souvenirs, because they’re not necessities that people can’t do without. But $ 5 for a 10 pack of Tampax is a sin.
For the price of 6 tampons in the ABC store you can literally provide a bum with a bed.

Love these ABC stores, they have everything you can think of. Wine, liquor, food, t-​shirts, etc. just two blocks from hotel. Mostly needed blister bandaids for our hike tomorrow on diamond head. We have been walking so much and needed some extra protection for the hike. Last day to end with a bang.

They’re everywhere! Convenient locations every block or so, was our go to place for snacks, water, goggles, and oops we forgot to get someone a souvenir. Considering the general Waikiki mark up on everything, this place was very reasonable. Opens early, closes late, very clean, nice people.

There are many stories like this one.
They except credit cards.
This location sells water.
This location sells rain jackets.
This location does not have a water fountain.

They are conveniently located next to our hotel, the Park Shore Waikiki. Great place to get cheap beer (compared to bar prices,) and snacks! Very friendly cashiers.

Has pretty much everything for tourist. Only thing is that it’s way more expensive! But at least there is pretty much everything there!

Everything you need. Everything you missed at home. Everything you need to buy to bring back home as souvenirs. You can get it at the ABC store which is almost on every block in Wakiki.
Think of ABC stores as the ultimate 7 – 11 store of Hawaii.
Drinks, shampoo, eye contact solution, nail clippers, floatees for the beach and ocean, and snorkels/​flippers.
Whoever owns ABC store must be making millions, because everyone who comes to Hawaii shop here!
Ask for a punch card to get a prize after spending $ 100+ …I realized this after I was leaving and have already spending more than $ 200+ in ABC stores already.

Definitely one of my FAVORITE things about being in Hawaii! ABC stores are everywhere, they are awesome place to shop! Love it…

If there ever was to be an under-​the-​radar ABC store – a location not prominently stuck on some busy corner near a tourist focal point, this Lemon Road is it! Off a side road near the Honolulu Zoo and behind the Aston Waikiki Hotel, this is a great neighborhood necessity. Even more so, there are several Hawaii hostels that line the alley area that abuts the store. And I am sure those travelers can appreciate the affordable necessities sold at ABC.
When I arrived at my hotel, I was famished from not being fed anything but nut mix and a Sprite on the flight over. When I heard there was an ABC down the street, I feasted on one of their Sub Sandwiches and a bag of Maui Onion potato chips There are lots of drink choices at ABC and booze, beer and wine are also sold there. I would load up on juices, milk, yogurt and Gatorade and ditch them in a bowl of ice to stay cold in my hotel room. You can buy cereal boxes, individual muffins and granola bars to snack on. ABC is really a frugal travelers best friend.
HOWEVER, I will need to deduct 1 Unilocal STAR for a very clannish attitude among their sales help, which is primarily Oriental. And when I tried to make a deal for a calender, after having spent lots of money in their stores, they sternly told me NO! One Japanese family started ABC in 1949. Sidney and Minnie Kosasa opened their own drug store, and a chain of drug stores soon followed shortly thereafter. The business plan is modeled on convenient locations selling merchandise and necessities at fair prices. That would include, among other items, groceries, souvenirs, drugs and cosmetics and anything else a visitor would need. I can tell you from firsthand knowledge that the closer to the beach an ABC store is, the more prominently featured out front will be the sunscreen, beach towels and plastic flotation devices.
Today, ABC Stores have inundated every major island in the State of Hawaii and the ABC concept has been exported to Guam, Saipan and Las Vegas! I say this with every bit of respect for the incredible business acumen of the Kosasa family: the good olé USA may have been screwed by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor during W W II but we got them back with two big bombs a little bit later. Now ABC comes along and virtually is on every corner of Oahu – sucking dollar bills out of the wallets of clueless tourists and locals alike and replicating itself all over the world. Kudos to the rampant capitalism that our Oriental friends have so successfully used to ABC paradise.

Most inconvenient «convenience store» ever. (A couple clerks are great, most are useless like management.) Pastry case always has flies. Good beer & candy selection though.

Come on, there’s a billion of these in town and they’re all the same type of convenience store. They’re super close, and you kinda pay the convenience premium. Do they have what you need? Beers and foods and basic groceries. Mostly everything! (Most don’t have stamps) The clerks are usually pretty nice, and you can get in and out quickly. Find the closest one and go get you consumerism on. It’s the American way.

The ABC next to Hotel Renew is probably my most-​visited place in Hawaii. I know it sounds silly, but in the age of ludicrous TSA rules, $ 4 bottles of hotel mini-​bar water and absent-​minded business travel packing, a store like ABC comes in REAL handy.
Items I have purchased at this ABC include:
Hakkusan sake cups
Curad non-​stick self-​adhering gauze strips
coconut water
Sapporo beer
Q-​tips
travel-​size toothpaste
after-​sun (sunburn) lotion
chips
gigantic bottles of water
gum
I could list on, but you get the point. ABC is like a 7 – 11 on steroids — way more well-​stocked and much more friendly. It’s basically like a more condensed version of a Walgreens minus the pharmacy but plus a much warmer, more sunny feel.
The sad part is that I bought each item above on a separate visit. I need to get my shit together and figure out what I need and do it all in one trip. Fortunately it’s next door to the hotel I usually stay at, so it’s beyond convenient.
Don’t forget to keep your receipts — you get some prize when you spend $ 100. At least that’s what the checkers kept telling me ad nauseum every time I made a purchase. Sure, I’m going to save up receipts over numerous visits until I’ve spent enough to get that prize. Riiight. Because that’s what I want to do when I am on vacay.

Manager was an a-​hole and wanted to charge me $ 2 for a large plastic bag. WTH. I bought $ 35 of stuff here and he wanted to charge me for a plastic bag that I should have been getting anyways! Ridiculous.

Got food from here and did not get poisoned (always a plus)
Good selection of drinks and souvenir crap

Great souvenirs stop and quick snack. Still cannot beat the Walmart prices though. They kept their stores open even during the power outage!

Spam Musubi — $ 1.69
Compact umbrella — $ 7.99
Blow up air raft for T — $ 2.99
Air compressor usage to fill blow up air raft with air — $ 0.60
Saving my lungs from having to blow up the air raft for T — PRICELESS.
ABC Stores have all the things need, when you’ve left it at home on your dresser. Plus they have plenty of last minute island gifts that will satisfy just about any of your friends/​relatives. And if you can’t find it at this location, go around the block and try the other 2.