10 Facts About SM Supermalls (You Might Want To Know)

This humble shoe store turned into a mall giant.

The evolution of SM Supermalls is a classic tale almost everybody knows–a modest shoe center opened in Downtown Manila in the late ‘50s that grew to become the country’s leading and largest chain of shopping malls.

With more than six decades of outstanding service that helped shape Filipino shopping culture, SM Supermalls is an integral part of daily life; its brand a household name, and its remarkable story an inspiration to all. Yet there is still more about SM Supermalls that people have yet to learn.

Here are fascinating facts about the country’s most beloved shopping destination:

1. The first SM Supermall is the country’s largest mall

SM Supermalls began as Shoemart, a small shoe store in Carriedo in 1958, which later became SM Department Store with a string of shops strategically located across Metro Manila through the ‘60s and ‘70s. They also ventured into the supermarket and home appliance businesses, but it wasn’t until 1985 when they fully embraced the status of a shopping mall chain with the opening of their first supermall, SM City North EDSA.

SM City North EDSA

Sitting in the heart of Quezon City, SM City North EDSA started with a gross floor area of 125,000 square meters and grew in size to over 676,000 square meters to date. Home to over a thousand retail and food business tenants, the flagship supermall is the largest mall in the country.

2. There are more than 80 SM malls nationwide—and counting

Since the opening of SM City North EDSA, more SM Supermalls were built across the country to make the one-stop shopping, dining, and entertainment experience enjoyed by more Filipinos. Today, there are 82 SM Supermalls branches nationwide and more than 20 are found in Metro Manila. Dozens of SM Supermalls are also slated to open this brand-new decade. Check out the complete list of SM Supermalls branches.

SM Megamall

3. Four SM malls are some of the world’s largest

Flagship malls by SM are called Supermalls for their vast floor area that can accommodate an extensive list of tenants and extremely high foot traffic, so much so that they are recognized as some of the biggest shopping malls, not just in the country, but also across the globe. These four malls are considered a few of the biggest in the world: SM City North Edsa, SM Megamall, SM Seaside City cebu, and SM Mall of Asia.

4. These SM Supermalls are architectural masterpieces

SM Supermalls is committed to upholding excellence, and this commitment is evident in their mall designs. Their flagship malls boast breathtaking architectural designs that are lauded here and abroad for their distinction, innovation, and grandeur. SM Megamall earned the Best Retail Architecture Design at the South East Asia Property Awards 2015 for the exemplary design of its Mega Fashion Hall.

SM Aura Premier

5. SM Supermalls serves over 4.2 million people daily

They say the Philippines is the only country where ‘malling’ is a daily activity. And when it’s time to shop, dine, have fun, or simply pass the time, Filipinos always head to SM Supermalls. In fact, more than 4.2 million mall-goers visit SM Supermalls nationwide on a regular day. That’s about a third of the population of Metro Manila!

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6. SM Supermalls builds disaster-ready structures

SM Supermalls develops structures that are carefully designed to withstand natural hazards and ensure the safety of tenants and mall-goers alike.

SM City Marikina, located within the Marikina River watershed, is elevated on concrete stilts and is positioned an additional 20 meters farther than the suggested 90-meter distance from the center of the river.

SM City Marikina

SM Center Muntinlupa, situated near an area with two fault exposures, is standing with a five-meter buffer zone to minimize the impact of earthquakes.

SM City Masinag, sitting in a super typhoon-prone region, is equipped with a tank that can hold three million gallons of rainwater to reduce the effect of flooding due to continuous rainfall.

7. SM Supermalls develops sustainable malls

SM Supermalls have embraced environmental sustainability by incorporating eco-friendly, energy-efficient features in their malls. Proven sustainable solutions such as rain harvesting, water recycling, solar energy, natural lighting, and deck landscaping are already present in almost all SM malls, and are vital aspects of future mall development plans.

Two SM Supermalls have obtained recognition for their building designs that perfectly combine style and sustainability.

The Podium

The Podium was given the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Mark pre-certification by the US Green Building Council, and the Green Mark Gold Award by the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore.

SM Aura Premier was also awarded the LEED Gold certification for its stunning, environment-friendly design.

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8. There are seven SM Supermalls in China

Seeing SM Supermalls’ prominent logo in China may surprise Filipino tourists and overseas workers alike. But with the mall chain’s unparalleled success in the local retail landscape, taking the brand to international markets is the next logical step to ensure further growth. SM Supermalls debuted in the Chinese retail scene in 2001 with the opening of SM City Xiamen. Since then, the booming economy and welcoming market paved the way for their expansion across the country in the last two decades.

SM City Xiamen

Today, there are seven SM Supermalls in China, including SM City Jinjiang, SM City Chengdu, SM City Suzhou, SM City Chongqing, SM City Zibo, and SM City Tianjin.

9. One of the larger SM malls is not in the Philippines

One of the larger SM malls is actually located in Tianjin, a municipality near Beijing in Northern China. SM City Tianjin officially opened in December 2016 with a gross floor area of 565,000 square meters. Its expansive size accommodates more than a thousand tenants that range from domestic retailers and restaurants to foreign brands. Like most SM Supermalls flagships, SM City Tianjin boasts a contemporary design that resembles a flower when viewed from above.

SM City Tianjin

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10. There is an SM branch in the US

SM Supermalls opened a small shopping center in Downtown Hagatna in Guam in 2008, their first branch on US territorial soil. SM Island Guam sits in Agana Shopping Center, a local mall that is also managed by SM. The structure first opened in 1978 and was severely damaged by a typhoon that struck the island back in 2002. SM acquired the mall soon after and invested in its redevelopment.

SM Island Guam

SM Island Guam may be a far cry from the typical SM Center or SM City mall, but it still offers the brand’s trademark hospitality, service, and products that the locals and tourists love.

These are just some of the many interesting details about SM Supermalls. Which of these facts you were surprised from? Let us know in the comments!