More foreign brands to open in new malls

Retailer Stores Specialists, Inc. (SSI) plans to bring more foreign luxury brands to Cebu.

“I cannot say yet exactly how many brands, but there are many new shopping mall opportunities here in Cebu, namely Ayala Malls expansion, SM Seaside and the new Robinsons Galleria,” SSI president Anthony T. Huang Jr. said in an interview during the launching of FamilyMart stores in Cebu last Friday.

Included in the line-up of new brands that will soon be available here are Kate Spade, Charriol, Long Champ and Charming Charlie.

Huang said they are also planning to open an Old Navy store, a new Marks & Spencer store and Joe Fresh next year.

SSI acquired the first global franchise for Old Navy as well as the first Pottery Barn franchise in Asia last year.

“Rest assured, SSI will be opening a number of stores in SM Seaside, Ayala and Robinsons Galleria before Christmas and during the second half of next year,” Huang said.

SSI recently opened Armani Exchange in Ayala. It also operates Aeropostale, Beauty Bar, F&F, Gap, Lacoste, L’Occitane, Muji, Nine West, Payless and Zara, among others.

The company has also partnered with Ayala Land, Inc. for the FamilyMart franchise in the country and Wellworth department stores.

Asked whether they plan to bring Wellworth to Cebu, Huang said there were no definite plans.

“We’re looking at a couple of opportunities here in Cebu, but we haven’t decided just yet,” he said.

As of September 2014, SSI had 672 specialty stores based on its website. The company is part of the Rustan’s Group and focuses on specialty retail operations.