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SM

Landlords find creative ways to fill empty retail spaces

"Outside the box" is way to go as malls fight high vacancies

A string of USA national bankruptcies has mall landlords shifting their thinking away from big box chains.

The recently announced New Era Park at Eastern Hills Mall is one local example of an increasing number of nontraditional tenants finding their way into former retail spaces in both regional malls and neighborhood strip centers.

The $1 million athletic training facility will fill 52,000 square feet at the mall come October, bringing it to 100 percent occupancy after years of limping by with high vacancy rates. The mall also houses an Erie County Auto Bureau branch, a military museum and learning center called Echoes Through Time and Bridges Wellness Center, which teaches holistic health and spirit classes.

Landlords are becoming increasingly flexible on nontraditional tenants and have lightened up on shorter lease terms, rent concessions and temporary uses. I have even seen churches moving into malls in underused theaters and open areas.

McKinley Mall has gotten creative, too, housing a Red Dragon Martial Arts dojo as well as the Ten Lives Club, a non-profit cat adoption and rescue organization. Going forward, said Property Manager Jeff Ohle, the mall is focusing on adding entertainment or recreational uses in addition to office and medical space.

Since the Fort Lauderdale Children's Theatre moved into Florida's prime regional Galleria Mall in April, several hundred kids and their parents come each week to the mall for rehearsals and classes. They have brought traffic and life to the increasingly vacant east end of the mall that Lord & Taylor once called home.

Stiller has already signed deals with day care centers, medical clinics, shared office space and beauty suites. And he's looking for more.

"Shopping centers are very conveniently located," Stiller said. "In a weak business environment, you have to open up the aperture and think a little more creatively. The more quickly you turn into a proactive mode and recognize this is going to be with us for awhile, the better off you're going to be."

One of Stiller's new nontraditional tenants is J.J. Martin, who is opening the Beauty Mall in Kendall, Fla. The space will house about 40 different beauty professionals under one roof.

At the end of the day, it's all about filling spaces. Read the complete original article here http://www.buffalonews.com/145/story/777021.html

In Manila, The research firm said Metro Manila malls are filled with non-traditional retail tenants such as spas, clinics, leisure and entertainment shops. http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/sept/01/yehey/business/20090901bus1.html

Elderly Learn to Surf at SM, Very nice



Goes along with their free internet, SM malls has great ideas

SM Cebu please note the problem

We want a SUN signal in SM CEBU Supermarket and SM Cebu mall

Many users now use SUN like myself and also like to shop at SM Supermarket Cebu. But there is no signal for SUN in the supermarket at SM Cebu and so if you linger there for shopping you are out of touch with the world hehe. Just like the addition of the new wonderful wifi at SM Cebu, Sun signal should also be set up in the supermarket so the customers can be more relaxed and in touch with the world. . Also SUN signal needs to be increased through out the mall as there are many dead sposts for SUN throughout the mall, so we can speed our shopping time there. Thanks SM Cebu for listening.

As a result of the new wifi at SM Cebu there are a number of new websites and blogs, Wow

As a result of the new wifi at SM Cebu there are a number of new websites and blogs, Wow

SM CEBU NEW FREE WIFI http://www.smcitycebuwifi.com/
contact form is only web based and it should have a physical address too as I like to keep a copy of my emails and many webbased email systems break down. Please put a email on the web page would be very helpful. The forum on the website does not list actual speeds which would be very helpful. My own experience is the North wing is slow but the area near Jollibee on 2nd ground level is very good and even got the SM internet in the Supermarket. Nice touch.

Speed test at SM Cebu on internet http://www.mangochico.com/speed-test-sm-cebu-wifi/ but my speeds do not reflect this reading when I checked it myself. But regardless the effort to make available a fast free internet through out the mall is commendable and speaks good of the future for high end consumers that visit the mall and should attract more high level end customers but those who have wifi phones are so happy too.

Ayala Cebu should take note of this innovation and others like the new tiles on the floor thoughout the mall as the Ayala mall is starting to look a little less high class compared to SM Cebu now as if they are not keeping up with the latest free wifi mall wide and the attactive tiles compared to the worn out look now at Ayala floors in Cebu.

Also read some of my other blog posting on free wifi

SM Travel Lounge Cebu, what a nice idea and service

When in Cebu, are you looking for a place to leave your baggage, go for a clean toilet, buy a ticket and take a cold shower? You dont need to check-in in a hotel but this all can be done at SM Travel Lounge. This is SM’s service specially for transit travellers who just want to roam around the mall to eat and have a last minute shopping while waiting for their flight.

The first Travel Lounge I’ve been to was at SM Iloilo, conveniently located beside the Airport terminal van and the last time was at SM City Cebu. This is perfect for seabound passengers because of its close location to the pier. For a minimum amount of P100, one can leave their bags and take a refreshing cold shower (shampoo, soap & towel not included).

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At SM Travel Lounge Cebu, there’s also a coffee shop inside, telephone booth although its not working yet.

from http://marcopolo.i.ph/blogs/marcopolo/?p=250

smtravelerslounge

SM City Cebu pioneers mallwide WiFi service ,thanks SM the shoppers appreciate it

CEBU, Philippines - As the need for WiFi (Wireless Fidelity) facility has become one of the strongest demands for consumers today, SM City Cebu pioneers a mallwide free WiFi service in Cebu.

Although, value-added services will be rolled out by the SM Mall Group in all its 36 shopping malls all over the country, Cebu is currently one of the 13 malls that are WiFi capable.

“This is one of our value-added service offers for mall goers and shoppers,” said Joanne A. Abrogar, operations manager for SM Cyberzone.

With this free WiFi roll-out, SM Cebu expects to double its daily consumer traffic from an average of 100 thousand a day during weekdays, and 150 thousand on weekends.

SM City Cebu, assistant mall manager Maria Teresa J. Mempin said that the entire mall will be having a free WiFi facility starting this week. Initially, the mall installed free wireless Internet connection at the Northwing area.

Based on the performance of the SM malls that have been installed with this facility, consumer traffic have doubled, because of this value-added service, Abrogar said.

Mempin said that SM Cebu expects the same performance, “hopefully, we will be able to attract more mall goers.”

SM has commissioned PhilCom, as its Internet provider on this mall-wide WiFi program, with 8mbps bandwidth that can accommodate 200 users simultaneously, without connection glitches.

Although some Coffee Shops have installed their own WiFi facilities, prior to this introduction, Mempin said the mall has not received complaints from coffee shops, and even Internet Café tenants.

For Coffee Shops, this facility will eventually benefit their businesses, as users are attracted to stay longer in a comfortable environment, such as offered by Coffee Shops, to avail of the unlimited WiFi access.

For Internet Café tenants, such as Netopia, Mempin said this will not adversely affect their business, as not everybody has mobile computers of laptops. Besides, Internet Café’s huge markets are the gamers.

Free Internet connection, such as WiFi in a mall, is one of the strongest demands for consumers now days, with increasing number of people are mobile workers to encourage productivity.

Besides, because of the availability of affordable laptops that are made available to the consumers even as low as P13 thousand pave the way for people to own mobile computers, not only the professionals, but also students.

SM Mall Group, introduced this mall-wide WiFi service in February of this year in its SM Marikina branch. Today, there are a total of 13 SM Malls that are WiFi capable, and the Group targets to install WiFi service to all its 36 malls nationwide by October of this year.

Abrogar however, downplayed impression that the introduction of this facility is the result of the stiffer competition among shopping mall operators in the country, amid the “belt-tightening” measure adopted by consumers due to the financial crunch.

She said the primary purpose of this offering is only to offer more value-added services to its consumers

In Cebu, SM shopping mall is the first mall WiFi that offers free connection to its consumers, in a mall-wide coverage. 8/3/09 Philippine Star click this link to read original article