The Ayala Malls are gearing up for a busy holiday season starting with the simultaneous reopening of the new Glorietta in Makati and the opening of the Centrio Mall in Cagayan de Oro City this weekend.

For decades, Glorietta was at the crossroads of urban lifestyle with its wide range of shopping, dining and entertainment choices. When a portion of it was closed due to an accident several years ago, it lost some of its luster. Now, however, the newly energized mall is ready to take on a new generation of mall-goers with the same degree of retail experiences with the backdrop of a more eco-savvy urban paradise.

At the press briefing held recently, officials of Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) told members of the lifestyle press what visitors can expect at the mall.

“Apart from premiere shopping, Glorietta will also have an activity center to complete the experience for mall-goers,” executive vice president Bobby Dy said.

“Even the act of entering the mall will be an experience for them especially if they enter via Palm Drive. We really want to elevate the consumer experience,” he added.

Convenience for shoppers

The merging of convenience, variety and comfort was the blueprint for the new Glorietta. Its water feature that spans three floors, and the wood finish of the central walls were incorporated with environmental consciousness in mind. Meanwhile, the activity center will welcome natural light but block off heat.

“We always want to offer something new. Our customers are time-starved so we need to offer them convenience but in an aesthetically pleasing setup,” ALI vice president and head of operations for commercial business group Rowena Tomeldan said.

To this end, a connecting bridge leading to the Makati Central Business District provides convenient access to the commercial center. There will likewise be interconnected basement parking and a strategic opening at Palm Drive.

Shoppers can look forward to new concept stores like Bershka, Stradivarius, Vince Camuto and Gant Shirtmakers as well as the flagship stores of Bench, Penshoppe, The Row and National Bookstore.

A series of weekend events and concerts has been lined up to coincide with the opening of Glorietta, including Feel the Beat with The Crew and Philippine All Stars on Nov. 9; a Christmas concert with Piolo Pascual and Zia Quizon, and Spectrum of Christmas Colors on Nov. 16; Pepe’s Secret Christmas Ballet on Nov. 17; A Christmas show with Blake on Dec. 7; and a one-of-a-kind fashion show on Dec. 9.