My recent SM experience

SM (Shoemart Department stores) are everywhere. In the Philippines, your city is not really a city if you don't have at least one SM Mall. It has been a Philippine beacon of civilization. Sometimes, they spring from one toll exit to another. It makes you think how they just want to build malls maybe because they're bored with their old ones. Nevertheless, I am very thankful because an SM mall is five minutes away from our village. Sure it's smaller and less luxurious than all the other SM malls out there, but it has a huge grocery, sufficient department store, hardware store, restaurants, retail hubs, book stores, pet stores and banks. It's a quick and ready option for us who don't want to go to Makati or Alabang just to eat out and shop.

Last Saturday, I planned to buy a new set of office attires, but I had no mood driving all the way to Makati. The answer? SM. Last Saturday I also planned to treat my family to dinner. I just heard that the Savory restaurant just opened. The answer? SM. My mom wanted to go out and do her grocery shopping. The answer? SM.

It was a no brainer. I went there with my mom, dropped her off at the other building while I did my business at the other side. In less than an hour, I bought a couple of work clothes and sniffed around Booksale. As soon as I stepped out of the department store, I just realized people began piling up at the activity center. Whenever this happens, there's a promo tour of some artist or there's a talent search of whatever. I'm okay with crowds as long as they don't touch me, so I mind my way around. I went in and out of stores to search for other reputable buys when I began hearing loud shrieks of delight coming from the hallways. I guess the artist people were waiting for finally arrived. The saleslady who was supposed to attend to me focused her attention outside her store. By then she lost one possible customer.

The shrieks were getting intense. I went to the other building, bought Savory chickens and asked my mom to hurry up. I went back to the other building, where I parked my car, and bought pizza while scolding myself for not doing this earlier since the crowd was now in full frenzy. After 15 minutes, I got my order and hurried towards the stairs to the parking lot only to find out that it was blocked. I was carrying too many bags and a long walk to the escalators would either kill me or the pizza. It seemed everyone also had the same idea and lined up outside the turtle-paced elevator.

I dashed to the department store, used their escalator to get to the ground floor where the activity center is. In the ground floor, there is a public stairs there leading straight to the parking entrance. When I got to the ground floor my hopes were crushed. Humans became like monkeys clinging on to the bars just to take a peek at the stage. Guards are everywhere to contain the crowd. I looked at the elevator and the line was impossible. The possible exit to the parking lot are the elevator and the stairs that was blocked.

I went to the guard holding a position in the barricade, which was blocking the stairs. The guard politely told me. "Ma'am, di po pwedeng dumaan." Obviously, with the metal railings, no one would be able to go through. I politely said "Kuya, pupunta lang akong parking." I raised my car keys so that he'd know I was telling the truth. Waving my car keys caused effort since I was carrying heavy bags.

"Ma'am di po talaga pwedeng dumaan. Sa elevator po kayo. (Ma'am, you really can't pass through. Take the elevator.)" He began to sound stern. With his choice of words it sounded like he didn't give me any other options.

I tried to look back and hoped to find a thinning line, but it was impossible. It would take me years to get down to the parking lot. I didn't need statistics to figure it out. I was in ground floor, there were two other floors above me that had snake lines of people waiting to get in.

"Kuya, marami po kong dala. Masyadong mahaba ang pila. Di po ba ninyo ako pwedeng padain saglit? Wala pa naman ata yung artista?" (Sir I have so many things with me right now. The lines at the elevator's crazy. Can't you just let me pass for a few minutes before the artist arrives?)"

By that time, I think I was already raising my voice because I felt stares already. That time, another security person in a barong and a walkie talkie approached us.

"Sir, can you just let me pass. I just have to get my car and pick up my mom at the other building who is waiting for me." I pleaded.

"Ma'am, di po pwede, mag-elevator nalang po kayo. (Ma'am, you really can't. Take the elevator.)" The guy wearing the barong said.

Then I lost my cool.

"Kuya, kung mapapansin ninyo, ang haba ng pila sa elevator. It would take me forever to ride that snail-paced thing at ang dami kong dala. My mom is waiting for me at the other building and where else do you want me to go? I'm not going to line up in that thing. Just let me through, I'll go to the parking lot quickly and wag kayong mag-alala. I won't ever think of loitering. I don't even know who's arriving and frankly I don't care. I just need to get to my car."

The guard, with a stern look, opened the metal gate and let me through.

While going down, I felt stares of people at my back. Apparently, I was the only one passing through. I was walking the path where the supposed artists will walk. Nearing the exit, I saw a huge van at the entrance. Frantic audience and fans were at the side of the path waiting for the artists to step out. I think I caused them delay. I was too mad to care. The other ladies even went as far as block the entire path where I had to squeeze myself and the pizza box in, tilting it. Clearly, the deranged fans have the tendency to lose respect and geometrical estimates.

I picked up my mom and she asked me how I did. It turned out we both accomplished what we needed to do, but we were both disappointed and stressed by the crowd control in SM. We realized there's comfort in isolated malls sometimes. We were just lazy to go anywhere else. We realized that there will be days wherein our nearby SM mall would be our savior, but there will be busy days when we have to consider other options especially on moments we want to avoid stress. We love SM, but apparently so do most people.

Filipinos and Malls

Working within the heart of business center Makati, it's just a quick taxi ride or a sprint(if you're a fan of walking) to the mall for lunch. Of course after lunch a little window shopping could be spared. After work it's not a surprise if people pass by main malls, which serve as the main thoroughfares towards their commuting stations. That may involve a quick dinner, possibly another round of window shopping or emergency shopping. Mall could be a daily part in the life of most Filipinos.

Weekends offer a different story. On a weekend, malls are often bustling with people. The crowd measurement would just vary, but every mall has its potential clients. Expect the crowd to be even thicker at this time. Friends meet up in malls for brunch, lunch, merienda or dinner. Families go to the mall as a default place to spend time together and shop. Individuals with various businesses go to certain functions and stores to window shop, and most importantly some people just go there to unwind, cool down and relax.

Did I mention that malls here have legs too? No wonder that in any town with a feasible amount of square meter of land with thriving residents, a mall would often enshrine its development and progress. Take for example the Mall magnet SM (Shoemart). They are like mushrooms offering the same shops and conveniences to people, but they do not let people come to them. They come where the people are, no matter how small the distance. For example, we have SM Muntinlupa which is roughly 5 Kms away from SM Sucat and SM Sucat is roughly 5-10 kms from SM Bicutan. These three strategic points in the south (Muntinlupa, Sucat, Bicutan) have small distances from each other. They're practically neighbors with just a toll station separating them. I'm not even counting SM Las Pinas and SM Makati where predominantly most professionals can pass by before going home to the south. Wherever you are in the metro, if you've forgotten to buy something, I'm sure there's a mall nearby. For provinces, well expect the province to host at least one mall, and be happy if it does because it means the province is developed or on the road to development.

Come to think of it, we may not wow the global community in various areas, but we somehow have a knack at building BIGGER, BETTER and CLOSER PROXIMITY MALLS every single year. You thought Filipinos are "poor," but malls flourish here than any parts of the world compared to China, who hosts the biggest mall in the world, but also hosts the biggest flop in the mall market. Imagine a mall bigger than Mall of Asia (SM), with only 12 tenants. Bring that mall here, place it in the metro and sure enough it would create a following.

Stores Year Square Feet (meters) Stores Comments

South China Mall Dongguan, China	2005	7.1-million (660,000)	9.6-million (892,000)	1,500	The world's largest shopping mall in early 2006 arrayed six separate themed areas. Recent visitors report that many retail spaces are vacant. Official site.
Jin Yuan (Golden Resources Shopping Mall) Beijing, China	2004	6.0-million (560,000)	7.3-million (680,000)	1,000+	Also known as the "Great Mall of China," this mega-mall has 6 floors and is located near the Fourth Ring Road, west of Beijing.
SM Mall of Asia Pasay City, Philippines	2006	4.2-million (386,000)*			The largest mall in the Philippines is four buildings connected by walkways. It features several cinemas and movie theaters, an ice skating rink, and Science Discovery Center. Official Site.
West Edmonton Mall Edmonton, Alberta, Canada	1981	3.8-million (350,000)	5.3-million (570,000)	800	Largest shopping mall in North America; includes indoor wave pool, amusement areas, hotel, restaurants; 20,000 parking spaces. Official site.
Cevahir Istanbul Istanbul, Turkey	2005	3.8-million (348,000)	4.5-million (420,000)	280	Apparently the largest shopping mall in Europe; has six floors, cinemas, roller coaster, and theater. Official site
SM City North Edsa Quezon City, Philippines	1985	3.6-million (332,000)*		900	Has five floors, 12 digital movies theaters, and a 200-shop Cyberzone; an IMAX theater planned to open in early 2009. Official site.
SM Megamall Mandaluyong City Philippines	1991	3.6-million (332,000)*		600	Has a bowling center, ice skating rink, 12 movie theaters, and convention halls. One source credits the mall with 200 restaurants. Official site.
Berjaya Times Square Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	2005	3.4-million (320,000)	7.5-million (700,000)	1,000+	Includes 45 restaurants, a theme park, and 3D Digi IMAX theater. Official site.
Beijing Mall Beijing, China	2005	3.4-million (320,000)	4.7-million (440,000)	600	Has 4 levels of shopping with interior residences; located near Fifth Ring Road, southeast of Beijing.
Zhengjia Plaza (Grandview Mall) Guangzhou, China	2005	3.0-million (280,000)	4.5-million (420,000)		Enclosed in a complex that includes a 48-story hotel and 30-story office building. Official Site.
SM City Cebu Cebu City, Philippines	1991	2.9-million (267,000)			Official Site.
King of Prussia Mall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA	1962	2.8-million (260,000)		327	Created by connecting together three adjacent malls, managed by a single company. Official site.
South Coast Plaza Costa Mesa, California, USA	1967	2.7-million (250,000)		280	Official site.
Central World Plaza Bangkok, Thailand	2006	2.6-million (244,000)		500+	21-screen cinemas, bowling lanes, and restaurants; also a convention center (not included in the GLA). Official site.
Aricanduva Mall Sao Paulo, Brazil	1991	2.6-million (242,000)	3.7-million (342,000)	535	Largest mall in Brazil; part of a complex of 3 shopping malls with a total area of 11.8-million sq ft. Official site.
Chia Tai Square Shanghai, Jiangsu, China	2005	2.6-million (240,000)			News releases in late 2005 touted it as "Asia's biggest shopping mall," but several other Asian malls appear to be considerably larger.
Dongfang Xin Tiandi (Oriental Plaza) Foshan, Guangdong, China		2.5-million (230,000)	8.6-million (800,000)		No details available.
Mall of America Bloomington, Minnesota, USA	1992	2.5-million (230,000)	4.2-million (390,000)	520	Largest shopping mall in the United States (by total area); includes a theme park, entertainment district on the 4th floor, and aquarium. Official site.
Sawgrass Mills Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA	1990	2.5-million (230,000)	4.2-million (390,000)	300	This sprawling, open-air mall, contains mainly discount outlets, along with restaurants, cinemas and other entertainments. Official site.
Siam Paragon Bangkok, Thailand	2005	2.5-million (230,000)	4.1-million (377,000)		Official site. Additional site.
Panda Mall Chengdu, Sichuan, China		2.5-million (230,000)	3.9-million (360,000)		Part of a mixed-use complex. Official site.
Del Amo Fashion Center Los Angeles, California, USA	1975	2.5-million (230,000)		300	Del Amo straddles several blocks in the city of Torrence, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Official site.
Mall of the Emirates Dubai, United Arab Emirates	2005	2.4-million (225,000)	6.5-million (600,000)	350	One complex in a vast entertainment and consumer-oriented district; encloses a 400-meter indoor ski slope. Official site.

*Source http://www.easternct.edu/depts/amerst/MallsWorld.htm

*Philippines have 4 upper tier posts in the world's biggest mall. But I bet they are the most successful.