Mall developer SM Investments Corp. (SMIC) said its subsidiary SM Prime Holdings Inc. has opened SM City Lipa.

The SM Department Store in Lipa is the fourth to be opened this year and the 29th in the family of SM Department Stores nationwide. It has a gross floor area (GFA) of 19,164 square meters (sqm.) bringing the total GFA of all SM Department Stores to 737,161 sqm, according to SMIC.

SMIC said total department store sales in the first half of 2006 amounted to P19.4 billion.

Other SM Department Stores opened this year were SM Sta. Rosa, SM Clark and SM Mall of Asia.

Other SM Department Stores that are not located in SM malls include SM Quiapo, SM Makati, SM Cubao and SM Harrison.

The SM Supermarket inside the mall in Lipa is the second to be opened this year and the 27th in all of SM Supermarkets operating nationwide.

Its gross floor area is 10,646 sqm bringing the total GFA of all SM Supermarkets to 158,356 sqm. The other SM Supermarket opened this year is located is SM City Sta. Rosa. Total Sales of Supervalue Inc. in the first half of 2006 amounted to P14.4 billion.