LOOK: The biggest, newly opened mall in La Union champions local businesses

Today, September 24, marks the opening of Robinsons Place La Union, which is touted as the largest mall in the province.

It is strategically located along McArthur Highway in San Fernando City, just 10 minutes away from the most happening place of San Juan, La Union, or more popularly known as Elyu.

The newly opened mall has a gross floor area of 34,906 square meters, which houses 13 stores in its four levels and has 479 parking slots.

Some of its amenities are ramps and parking spaces for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), baby care room and kids' toilet, bike parking and repair station, and an outdoor dining area on its fifth level with spectacular views of the mountains and the city called The Skydeck.

Robinsons Place La Union / Source: Robinsons Malls

The design of the mall's atrium also perfectly embodies the laidback, happy beach vibe that Elyu is known for. They commissioned Filipino artist Happy Navarro to do the murals.

The mall also houses a department store, supermarket, bakeshop, coffee shop, bookstore, bank, pharmacy, appliance center, digital supply stores, sporting goods stores, salons, spas, fashion boutiques, amusement center, and a cinema hall.

Inside Robinsons Place La Union / Source: Robinsons Malls

Aside from these amazing features, another remarkable fact about the newly opened mall is that they strongly support local entrepreneurs.

During a virtual media event, Senior Vice President and Robinsons Malls Business Unit General Manager Arlene Magtibay shared how this amazing initiative of their mall chain came about.

“In coming up with our tenant mix, we made sure that it would not only be the national brands that would be featured in the mall. But that we will give opportunity to the local tenants, the popular ones that Elyucanos have long enjoyed,” Magtibay said. “So, we invited them to also be part of the mall.”

She also introduced some of the small and medium enterprises that they partnered with, including Chapos Grill & Sizzlers, Lemon Life, FormoCha Taiwan Milk Tea, Gems Empanada, Honeydukes, Taco Titos, Takoyaki Lab, Sagat Crust, and ZYK Katsu Maki.

In recorded video messages, the local entrepreneurs expressed their gratitude to the mall chain for championing local businesses.

“They were inviting small local businesses like us for the opportunity to make a name and me and my friends are really thankful for such initiative,” said the Taco Titos owner.

“Napakaganda ng adhikain nila na tulungan 'yung maliliit na negosyante tulad namin, from first store hanggang sa napakarami na pong store,” said the Takoyaki Lab owner, whose budding food business opened its first store in the mall chain's Ilocos branch and is also part of its new mall in Elyu.

Magtibay also reiterated that aside from providing job opportunities for over 1,500 Elyucanos and supporting local businesses, they also built the mall with their environmental responsibility in mind.

So, they made sure to employ proper waste segregation through a materials recovery facility, as well as having a sewage treatment plant and a rainwater collection facility.

So, guys, if you're looking for a place to chill in while in Elyu that's not only environment-friendly but also supports local businesses, you know exactly where to go.

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