People's Open Markets (POM)
E komo mai (welcome) to the People's Open Market website! Founded in 1973, the POMs offer an affordable, open-air market experience at 23 sites around O‘ahu. We are different from your typical farmers' market with each location typically open for 45-60 minutes and our vendors recommended to sell their fares at prices much lower than retail stores. What a deal! Our Honolulu Parks & Rec staff conduct weekly price surveys at various stores to determine a recommended price for the POM vendors to follow, with many of these local vendors offering ethnic fruits and vegetables not normally found in the supermarkets. Not only do our markets provide these low-cost opportunities for healthy food, they also give local vendors a a place to sell their surplus or off-grade goods while socializing with their communities. We invite you to experience a People's Open Market near you, and join the nearly half a million shoppers who enjoy the markets annually!
Table of Contents
Market Schedule
Markets are closed on all City Holidays. Click on the park name for a Google Map of the exact market location. Electronic Benefit Transfers (EBT) are accepted at all markets, with specific token locations indicated below. Click the images below to get a copy of the POM flyer!
MONDAYS: Mānoa to Downtown Honolulu
- Mānoa Valley District Park – 6:45 a.m. to 7:45 a.m.
- Makiki District Park – 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
- ʻĀina Moana (Magic Island) – 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- Fasi Municipal Building – 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
TUESDAYS: Central O‘ahu
- Waiau District Park – 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.
- Bill Balfour Jr. Waipahū District Park – 8:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. (EBT Tokens)
- George F. Wright Wahiawā District Park – 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. (EBT Tokens)
- Mililani District Park – 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m
WEDNESDAYS: Pālolo to Kapi‘olani Park
- Pālolo Valley District Park – 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.
- Old Stadium Park – 8:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m
- Kapi‘olani Park – 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
THURSDAYS: Windward O‘ahu
- Waimānalo Beach Park – 7:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. (EBT Tokens)
- Kailua District Park – 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- Kān‘ohe District Park – 10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
FRIDAYS: Hālawa to ‘Ewa Beach
- Hālawa District Park – 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.
- ‘Ewa Beach Community Park – 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
SATURDAYS: Kalihi to Hawai‘i Kai
- Kalākaua District Park – 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. (EBT Tokens)
- Kalihi Valley District Park – 10a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
- Howard Shima Likini Street Mini Park – 11:15 a.m. to 12 noon
- Elaine Dobashi Hawai‘i Kai Dog Park – 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
SUNDAYS: Leeward O‘ahu
- Kapolei Community Park – 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
- Royal Kunia Park-n-Ride – 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- Waikele Community Park – 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Become a Vendor
If you are interested in being a POM vendor, please contact the POM office at (808) 768-9299, email openmarket@honolulu.gov, or visit the office at 1527 Ke‘eaumoku Sreet. There are only a few basic requirements to sign up and best of all, it’s free! Above are links to vendor application, insurance, and permitting requirements.
How to Shop Responsibly
The POM vendors are bound by a set of rules and regulations from Federal, State, and City laws. 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, and we really don’t want to take disciplinary action if anyone acts up. To help ensure a smooth and enjoyable shopping experience, here are some of POM shopping tips:
DO:
- Plan ahead! There will be times when markets start or end a little earlier or later (5 – 10 minutes) due to traffic, weather, etc.
- Park in marked stalls only
- Bring your own shopping bags, packages, and cartons. Cruise and reuse!
- Be careful when the POM vendors’ trucks and vans are entering or leaving a POM site. Beep beep!
- Be considerate of other shoppers
- Bring small bills and coins. Cash money!
DON’T
- Bag or ask vendor to reserve items before the start of the market, indicated by an air horn
- Cut in lines that vendors have formed. Eh, where you stay?
- Shoplift or steal. Vendors work had for the money
- Squeeze or mistreat fruits and vegetables. No harass the Calabasas
- Bring pets (except service animals)
- Litter. Please mālama ‘āina
- Ride bicycles through the shopping area. Please park on the sides of the POM.
- Park illegally, double park or block driveways.
Market History
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 (POM) were thus started to assist farmers with selling their off-grade and surplus produce while helping lower food costs for the citizens of Honolulu. Today, the POM evolved and farmers now bring mainly first grade produce to sell at discounted prices.
The first 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 site!