LIFESTYLE | May 28, 2018
 |
| SM City Telabastagan (Image Source: iOrbitNews) |
SM Prime Holdings Inc. recently opened its newest shopping mall, SM
City Telabastagan in San Fernando, Pampanga, which was immediately welcomed by residents, local
government officials, and tourists. With the opening of its fourth in the said
province and 70th in the Philippines, I couldn't stop wondering of how far will
SM Supermalls go in delivering its own brand of world-class shopping experience
to the Filipino masses. Well, to my surprise, it is within my own accord to
learn that this year marks the 60th anniversary celebration of the SM brand in
the Philippines.
SM's six-decade long success story has been an impressive one for many
of us who have learned all about it, and who would have thought that it all
started as just a shoe store opened in the 1950s by a Filipino-Chinese
businessman by the name of Henry Sy? His legacy has been synonymous to local
business communities for generations with many consider it as an inspiration to
their own success. The progress of Sy's chain of shoe stores in the 1950s and
1960s would pave the way for SM to open its own sleuth of department stores.
Then, in the midst of a growing economic and political crisis, Henry Sy
Sr. led SM to the opening of what is now known as the country's first ever
shopping mall in 1985, SM City North EDSA, which eventually marked the start of
the shopping phenomenon that has changed the way Filipinos live in today's
modern world. More than 30 years later, there are 70 SM Supermalls in different
parts of the country. Six of them would be recognized as some of the largest
shopping malls in the world today based on studies and in terms of gross area.
The continuing success of SM Supermalls would push the brand to open new ventures
that can complement to its strong traction such as banking, real estate
developments and public service.
 |
| (Image Source: SM Supermalls/ExpatPhilippines.ph) |
SM Supermalls has officially kicked off its 60th year anniversary
celebration with the official lighting of the iconic globe at the SM Mall of Asia, and this is just the start of a long road ahead for the ongoing
affair. From May to October, every SM Supermall in the country is slated to
have its own way of making the celebration enjoyable and even worth celebrating.
With that in mind, we should wait and see what's coming in an SM Supermall near
you as we join in on celebrating one of the most memorable moments happening in
our country today. Happy 60th anniversary, SM!!
