Discount retailer T.J. Maxx is marking its return to Hawaii after nearly 16 years with three grand openings in succession in May and hiring 325 workers.

The retailer, filling the second floor of the two-story Ward Village Shops building on Auahi Street, will hold its first grand opening there May 3. The 35,000-square-foot site, originally built for Whole Foods Market, will have 125 employees.

The opening will be followed May 10 by a new 25,000-square-foot store in Pearl City Gateway and May 17 by a third 24,850-square-foot outlet at Pearlridge Center Uptown, each of which will have 100 workers.

The national chain, part of TJX Cos. Inc. of Massachusetts, announced last fall it was returning to Hawaii.

It will compete with Ross Dress for Less, which has stores in Ward Gateway Center, Pearlridge Center and Pearl Highlands Center.

TJX Cos. left Hawaii in 1996 when it sold the leasehold rights to six retail locations to Ross Stores.

A T.J. Maxx spokes­woman wouldn’t disclose other potential locations for expansion in the islands, but said the company is “always assessing and reviewing its real estate strategies.”

More shoppers turned to discount retailers during the recent slow economy.

“The expansion of the value retailers is really what’s pushing retail in the state right now,” said Carol Pregill, president of Retail Merchants of Hawaii. “It’s indicative of the economy. We’ve seen a very difficult economy for the past number of years. The economy over the past few years has really changed mind-sets. Before we used to buy; now we do more shopping.”

Hawaii’s retail sales have been recovering in the past few years and are expected to grow even further this year as new stores open in the islands, Pregill said.

Local retail sales totaled $24.3 billion in 2010. Sales grew 14 percent last year to $27.8 billion, according to Retail Merchants.

In addition to brand-name apparel, jewelry and home items at 20 percent to 60 percent below department store prices, T.J. Maxx intends to sell local products, including specialty food, coffee, jewelry and aloha wear.

The company, which opened its first two stores in 1977 in Massachusetts, has about 1,000 locations nationwide.