Robinsons Galleria unveils a fresh new look

By Zsarlene B. Chua
Reporter

ROBINSONS Galleria, one of the first shopping malls that opened along EDSA in 1990, has gotten a much-needed makeover.

It took more than two years to complete the renovation of Robinsons Land Corp.’s flagship mall, which included widening the atrium, introducing more wood tones, removing the scenic elevator, and improving the lighting.

“The mall itself is an old one…so the renovations took time,” Myron Lawrence T. Yao, regional operations manager for the commercial centers division of RLC, told the media during a run through on Nov. 13.

Robinsons Galleria has a gross floor area of 215,000 square meters spread across five levels.

Mr. Yao said the renovation is 94% completed, and is expected to be finished by yearend. He said the mall only needs to re-paint its exteriors and finish the upgrade of the cinema, which will include a premium cinema with recliner seats for around 100 people.

To make the mall feel more modern, RLC used more wood in Robinsons Galleria’s interiors, particularly its ceilings, and installed more lights. Mr. Yao noted mall goers have often told them that the mall seems a little dark.

With the goal of making the space more open, Mr. Yao said they decided to remove the scenic elevator in the atrium. The new space is currently occupied by a 32-foot European fir tree Christmas tree which can be seen from all the mall’s floors.

Despite the extensive renovations, Mr. Yao said Robinsons Galleria maintained most of its tenants with the mall having 98% occupancy. He said the mall also increased the number of food retail partners, which now stands at 20% of the total tenants from 10% previously.

The mall’s food court, located at the lower ground floor, also increased the number of seats to 1,200 from 1,000.

Next year, Mr. Yao said Robinsons Galleria will also launch a new steel parking building near Saint Pedro Poveda College. The carpark structure will be able to accommodate 250 cars and 250 motorcycles and is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2019.

ROBINSONS MAGNOLIA EXPANSION

Meanwhile, Robinsons Magnolia is set to open a new wing by the second quarter of next year.

In an email to BusinessWorld, Arlene G. Magtibay, general manager of RLC’s commercial centers division, said the new wing will add “55,000 square meters in floor area to the existing mall.”

Robinsons Place Manila will also undergo renovation in 2019 “to refresh and reinvigorate the malling experience,” Ms. Magtibay added.

Next year will also see RLC opening Robinsons Galleria South in San Pedro Laguna, which, as Ms. Magtibay describes, will be their “premium mall in the south.”

But before 2018 ends, RLC is scheduled to open their 51st mall in Valencia City, Bukidnon on December 12. This will be the company’s seventh mall in Mindanao and will have a floor area of 47,000 square meters spread across three levels.

The new mall will have around 200 stores and restaurants, six cinemas and a green park with a pond.