Visited Cebu last weekend to be with my family as my sis is home from Canada. My family has been talking about the new North Wing of SM and despite the fact I had been there last month (June) didnt have time to notice the space.
Now I decided to check it out with shopper eyes.
Coming from Talisay City using the SRP (South Reclamation Project) road, SM City is a good 30 min. away. You enter into the SM City complex and the first thing a shopper driving a car would notice would be the weird criss-crossing of the lanes going to the north wing parking. One has to watch out and I did because it was my first time to drive my family's new '08 KIA Sportage. Same as SM MOA (mall of asia) parking was a pay as you exit type which is different from the other SM malls here in Manila where its a pay as you enter type like in Megamall, Manila, Sta Mesa & etc.
The new North Wing parking is much like any other SM Mall shopping (close to MOA set-up) but the beautiful thing about it is that its the open multi-level type which is a 1st in Cebu (I think ...)! It actually gives you a very scenic view of the Cebu harbour and the blue ocean . . . makes you really realize that Cebu is indeed a small tropical island. A pleasant surprise I guess for the locals.
Once parked, we made our way to the new wing and I realize that it shows a very different SM. It indeed looks more classy with the high-end shops (mass premium is the technical term as the shops still don't rival those of Rockwell or Greenbelt 4 & 5) located there (a lot are still under "construction") . What stands out is the spacious and clean atrium that welcomes you to the new north wing. Totally different from the crowded entrances in the mall, which honestly makes me hate going to SM at times. Its just too crowded.
The wing had a touch of Cebu with the Chika-an Restaurant branch being very prominent at the 2nd floor. And it had new store brands as well like Crumpler which only recently opened in Manila this year as well.
Truly, the new north wing has changed shopping in Cebu and has afforded Cebu's AB crowd another place to hang out besides Ayala Center Mall and show off their branded stuff which honestly in CEBU doesnt hold much because the locals really don't mind about imported brands because the City enjoys a lot of good quality locally made items! I will be visiting Cebu again soon and I will write about the shops more . . . but suffice it to say, its a HIT!
'Till my next write-up!
Mrs Jane B.
July 11, 2008
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