Perishable items like fresh milk are disappearing from the shelves of Greenbelt 1’s Marketplace and Mercury Drug Store as the mall prepares to close its doors in less than two weeks.
Store staff say management opted not to restock perishables due to the upcoming Lenten break and the mall’s permanent closure on April 1, 2024.
Greenbelt 1 will be closed for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, March 28 to 29, before reopening for its final two days of operation on Black Saturday and Easter Sunday.
The closure marks the beginning of a four-year renovation for Greenbelt 1, part of Ayala Land Inc.’s (ALI) redevelopment plan for major malls in Metro Manila and Cebu.
Greenbelt 2, known for its bar and restaurant scene, previously underwent a similar closure for upgrades.
Marketplace employees will be reassigned to other Makati branches, including those in Paseo Center, Ayala Triangle Gardens, Alphaland, Rustan’s Ayala, Century City, Rockwell and San Antonio Plaza. Other Greenbelt 1 stores have also begun packing inventory in preparation for the renovation.
ALI, the property owner, is investing P13 billion to revamp four malls across Metro Manila and Cebu. The goal is to enhance aesthetics, improve customer experience and create spaces that inspire retailers to bring their best offerings.
“The redevelopment will unleash the full potential of the malls’ retail spaces, enhance areas for gathering and experiences, and create spaces that challenge Ayala Malls’ retailers to bring their best,” ALI said in a statement.
Trinoma in Quezon City, Glorietta in Makati and Ayala Center Cebu are the other malls included in the redevelopment project. ALI operates 32 malls across the Philippines, with a combined gross leasable area of 2.1 million square meters.