The announcement that Landers Superstore will open in Megaworld’s The Upper East township Bacolod by the first quarter of next year has created a buzz around town.
Not only because we are finally getting our own shopping haven for quality imported goods instead of awaiting for these delivered at our doorsteps from relatives abroad, but also because it overtook the plans of that other membership store that we was rumored for several years to open in our city.
Landers will occupy 2.5 hectares of Megaworld’s 34-hectares development site and promises an expansive parking area that can accommodate more than 300 vehicles. That alone is something to look forward too as no other mall here has delivered hassle-free parking to make shopping convenient for their patrons.
The superstore will be built across the Two Regis and Herald Parksuites, which heralds good news to those who invested in these two residential condominiums because their premium price will definitely rise.
My friends and families have made trips to Iloilo in the past just to shop for goods that we can’t find in our grocery racks here. By next year, we don’t have to do that or avail of the pasabuy services as we will find these items in Landers as well, plus more, since we are getting a Superstore that will be connected to the Upper East Mall, Megaworld’s “lifestyle store” that will soon rise in the area as well.
But more than the privilege of making shopping a little easier for us, Landers will bring in employment and revenues for the city as it plans to hire about 300 to 400 people for its store alone, and several hundred more when the adjacent mall starts operating.
Harold Geronimo, Senior Assistant Vice President for Public Relations and Media Affairs of Megaworld, said there will be no delay in the construction of Landers even if the Upper East will host some of this year’s Masskara major events because they’ve ensured that the construction of the superstore will not hamper any of the festivities in their area.
Landers’ Chief Operations Officer Pieter Lukman said they are investing more than P500M to build the store but they believe it is a good investment since they see a potential market here for their goods that are selling well in their other establishments which is why Bacolod was chosen to have the first superstore in Western Visayas and the second outside of Luzon.
Lukman said they were attracted to invest in Bacolod because we boast of a “fast economic growth” and touted to be the among the most business friendly cities in the country. On top of that, they will also continue with their online selling so they can cater to clients in and around the province.
Graham Coates, Vice President and head of the Megaworld Lifestyle Malls, said Landers will be one of their “anchor commercial establishments” and the Bacolod branch is the fourth partnership between the two companies.
Landers has become “an important component of our rising modern townships,” says Coates which implies that there will be more partnerships between the two in future Megaworld development sites.
What’s more is that Landers will also bring in their partner gas station, Caltex and we can expect a P10-15 per liter discounts when they have their much talked about Super Fuel Sale. With fuel prices doubling in the last couple of years, this perk alone is worth the membership card which will be offered at P400 annually.
We definitely have more reasons to smile when Landers opens its doors come March 2023.*