RETAILERS FLY-IN TO PREVIEW ABREEZA MALL

Over two hundred retailers from Metro Manila and Cebu flew in to Davao last February 19 to preview Abreeza Mall. The 2.9-hectare mall is set to open in the 2nd quarter of 2011 and to date, over 60% of leasable space has already been leased out. It is part of a 10-hectare mixed use development which will also include a BPO building.

Various fashion, food and service merchants were treated to a two-part event, beginning with a site visit to Abreeza, where construction is in full swing and then capped off by a special luncheon at the Pearl Farm Marina.

Present at the Abreeza Mall preview was the Robinsons Retail Group, Abreeza’s anchor partner, led by Ms. Robina Gokongwei-Pe. Also there were Ms. Maritel Nievera and Ian Tiongson of Cabalen, Mr. William Tan of Jollibee, Mr. Eric Puno of Yellow Cab, Mr. Wilson Chu of Breadtalk, Mr. Robert Santos of Bistro Group, Mr. Bryan Lim of the Bench Group, Mr. Dino Sagun of the Penshoppe Group, Mr. Mike and Vic Jr. Munoz of Girbaud / Body Shop, Mr. and Mrs. Larry Lim of Giordano, Ms. Bal Dominguez of RSI (Bossini, Florsheim, Naturalizer), Ms. Joanna Duarte of Big and Small, Mr. Jimmy Lim of Astrovision and Mr. Raffy Prats of Time Zone. Mr. Quito Lopez of Starbucks, Mr. Steve Benitez of Bo’s Coffee and Mrs. Julita Urbina of Café Laguna / Lemon Grass, whose coffee shops and restaurants are opening their branches in Davao were also there. In addition, Mr. & Mrs. Eric Teng of Maldita, Mr. Frido Ong of Lacoste Shoes, Mr. Brian Gerome Tang of Celine/CMG and Ms. Beth Co of Marcella joined the event as well as Cebu retailers like Ms. Camille Aldeguer of Island Souvenirs and Mr. Chris Aldeguer of Loalde. Merchants who are opening their first-in Davao shops also graced the activity. This included Mr. Ivan Yao of Lucerne, Mr. George Mirani and Mr. Avinash Uttamchandani of the Promod/Timex Group and Ms. Sandra Antonio of SSI. Ms. Ginbee Go of BPI also brought her team to meet the merchants.

Also present during the event were Senior Executives from Ayala Land led by its president, Antonino T. Aquino. The Anflo Group was also there to welcome the merchants to Davao led by its chairman, Don Antonio O. Floirendo Sr.

The Abreeza development is a project of the Accendo Commercial Corp., a joint-venture company owned by Ayala Land and the Anflo Group.