Local pet supplier Petland is closing its store at Ala Moana Center on March 31 after nearly 50 years at the location.

The locally founded and independently owned store was one of the mall's oldest tenants, but couldn't agree with mall management on terms for a new lease, according to company owner Ken Matsui.

Matsui said he doesn't have a lot of confidence that consumer spending will grow enough to justify higher lease rent and other rising costs.

Petland will continue to operate a store in Kahala that is three times as big as the Ala Moana store, which was opened about 50 years ago as Birdland by Matsui's father, Jiro.

Jiro Matsui, a goldfish breeder and veteran of the 100th Infantry Battalion, established the business initially known as Honolulu Aquarium & Pet Supply in Downtown Honolulu shortly after World War II.

The Downtown Petland store closed about 35 years ago.

A Waimalu store closed about seven years ago, about a year after the Kahala location opened.

Ken Matsui said that about half of the Ala Moana store's 20 employees are expected to transfer to the Kahala store.