Robinsons backs Cebu brand, launches X’mas tree festival
Robinsons Galleria Cebu, the largest Robinsons development outside Metro Manila, opens today. (CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)
Gokongwei-owned Robinsons Land Corp. is showing support for the new brand of the island province as “Cebu – Where the Heart Sings,” with the installation of a giant guitar made of flowers in its new mall.
The developer is also launching today a “Tree Festival” in time for the opening of Galleria Cebu, Robinsons’ biggest outside Metro Manila.
The festival features 12 Christmas trees put up by other organizations or companies, including RCBC, iCancer, TrueValue and MLM Onozawa.
One organization, Ciudad Medical Zamboanga, put up a Christmas tree made of brassieres as part of efforts to raise awareness on breast cancer.
The tree is made up of 149 pink and purple bras, while 11 other bras at the base of the tree are being used as ribbons for gift boxes.
The trees, along with the Robinsons Christmas tree and giant guitar, are at the mall’s event center.
Robinsons is positioning Galleria Cebu as its regional hub for the Visayas and Mindanao. The six-story mall will open today at corner Gen. Maxilom Ave. and S. Osmeña St. across the entrance to Pier 4.
“We’re not bringing in a lot of brands from Manila. We’re positioning this as a regional hub, so we’re nurturing local brands and brands from the VisMin region,” said senior consultant Cristina Angan in a press preview of the mall yesterday.
The mall targets the broad C and upper A and B markets, finding a “happy medium” between the mid-income and upper-income classes.
“We’re targeting families, looking for the best affordable mix of brands and options. At the same time, we’re elevating the experience,” Angan said.
The mall has a gross floor area of 160,000 square meters and leasable space of 65,000 square meters that can accommodate 220 tenants.
Galleria Cebu will introduce new concepts to Cebu, such as the upscaled supermarket called Robinsons Selections, Movie World with two Director’s Club cinemas (cinemas 1 and 6), and Japanese play place Kidzoona.
Famous food outlets Sansrival from Dumaguete and The Buzzz Cafe from Bohol Bee Farm will open their first branches in Cebu at Galleria.
“We’re bringing the best of the region here,” said regional operations manager Floramae Vega.
A total of 60 stores, 15 of which are restaurants, will also open today. Other stores are expected to open in one or two days.
International brands Topman and Topshop are scheduled to open in the first quarter of January. About half of the leasable space will be occupied by international brands, said senior consultant Luzviminda Carpio.
Summit Hotel, also a part of the Gokongwei group, will be operational by the fourth quarter of 2016 or first quarter of 2017.
The hotel will have 220 rooms and 11 floors. Two leasable floors for business process outsourcing (BPO) offices are also expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2016.
Two 30-seater coasters will offer free rides starting today and will depart the mall every hour.
One coaster will serve the port area while the other will serve Gen. Maxilom Ave., Fuente Osmeña, Capitol, Escario, and Gorordo.
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