The Co family of Cebu brought popular TV personalities Robi Domingo, of Pinoy Big Brother fame and TJ Marquez who stars in Pangako Sa ‘Yo to their newly built mall for the opening night last week.
There is no way one can miss Parkmall in Mandaue City, Cebu. There is a tall structure on the roundabout of the sprawling property that heralds the mall’s name. Its many features include beach volleyball sand court, a children’s playground right outside the mall, and a lush, landscaped park.
The brainchild of the Co family of Cebu that owns the biggest home depot in the Queen City of the South, Parkmall prides itself in doing things differently. “When we started doing the crazy sale, other malls followed suit,” says Neal Co, General Manager of Parkmall.
This year, Parkmall brought back its history-making and unprecedented 36-Hour Non-Stop Sale from 10 a.m. of Nov. 14 to 10 p.m. of Nov. 15. Bigger and grander, Parkmall hoped to clock 70,000 in foot traffic compared to last year’s 65,000 foot traffic count.
Who would want to go to the mall at 12 midnight?
Only Parkmall, a homegrown mall that is a hit with locals and visitors alike, can do it. As a way of ensuring the safety of shoppers, service vehicles were deployed to fetch people from different points like the Cebu Mactan International Airport and IT Park in Lahug, Cebu City. Those who stayed overnight availed of special discounts at Parkmall’s partner hotels.
But for the whole duration of the Non-Stop Sale, this side of Mandaue didn’t sleep due to a string of surprises and activities and a steady stream of music and entertainment for families, friends, and shoppers to enjoy.
“Parkmall was abuzz with activities, both inside and outside the mall, among them the Karaoke Mania Challenge, Dog walk with Pert Adoption, and Non-Stop Fitness Marathon,” shared Yael Sacris-Torrejos, manager of Parkmall. “While shoppers were taking advantage of huge discounts, live entertainment was provided. In the busier section outside the mall, there was upbeat music while the area where the banks and spas are located, the mellower beats of bossa filled the air. We also had the youth-oriented, much-anticipated After Party.”
This year’s 36-Hour Non-Stop Sale had Robi Domingo and Teejay Marquez joining the crazy shopping madness from 2 to 3 a.m. on Nov. 15.
Aside from ushering in the Christmas season, the 36-Hour Non-Stop Sale was Parkmall’s way of thanking Cebuanos for its loyal patronage and paying it forward for its eight-year retail leadership in Cebu. Back in 2007, naysayers doubted that the site, which used to be a reclamation area would become a future growth center and hub. “Where Parkmall now stands, dati itong abandoned warehouse,” Co remembers.
The Mandaue City Government offered the property to the Cos who had the foresight to turn it into a two-level mall for Cebuanos and Cebuanos-at-heart.
But the early years were not very encouraging. One of the first tenants was a national brand, Save More, which by the way is now the third highest-selling Save More in the country. Parkmall also has the biggest Samsung concept store in the country. “Para siyang ghost town, at ang foot traffic dati 3,000 lang.”
What used to be an isolated part of Mandaue where public transportation and private motorists dared not ply is now a catalyst for growth in the area boomtown with major developers closing in and more national brands coming in to get in on the action. The location that many had doubts about now enjoys high traffic with very good purchase rate, same or even better than other malls in the city center. It has definitely been a hit among locals when normal conventions would dictate otherwise.
The mall has managed to attract a lot of people by understanding the local buyer/diner culture and preferred mall activities as opposed to transplanting Manila norms. Across the mall and even along its facade, al fresco dining options abound including some of the finest bars and restaurants such as Chika-an, Hukad, Tsiboom and Mooon Café.
Right from its inception, Parkmall was envisioned as a mall that champions local entrepreneurs — businesses with Cebuano origins like Orange Brutus and Cebu’s Original Lechon Belly and the second-floor bazaar full of wonderful tiangge finds, like pre owned bags, for small scale entrepreneurs — as much as it welcomes national, big-city brands.