A shoe addict may think she’s died and gone to heaven when visiting SM Makati’s new shoe department — an entire 5,500 square meter floor filled with 25,000 pairs of shoes. It is the biggest shoe store in the country.

“Globally, that’s the trend. If you look at retailers across the globe from London to New York, the big department stores are expanding their shoes departments. In the next few years it is predicted that the market for shoes will explode, and we’re proud here in the Philippines that… SM is the first store to have the biggest shoe department,” Eugene Saw, VP for Shoes for SM, told BusinessWorld.

SM Makati revealed its spacious new floor with a shopping party for guests, along with cocktails and a small fashion show, hosted by Joey Mead-King.

The new shoe department, with a wider, brighter, and more open layout, was designed by an American architectural firm which has designed stores for big global retailers.

The shoe department is now located at the 4th floor of the department store, and occupies two sides of the building. One side features men’s and children’s shoes while the other focuses on ladies’ shoes (this area is not exclusively for shoes though, with some 20% of the space devoted to ladies undergarments.) The shoe department was formerly found in the mall’s second level and occupied only one side of the building.

The new shoe floor carries 300 brands of shoes, with 39 new brands joining the fray, including international brands like L.A.M.B (by international music star Gwen Stefani), Jeffrey Campbell, Havaianas, and Polo Ralph Lauren Kids.

“SM remains true to its values, but it depends on which area you operate in. Of course in Makati, you have a lot of international shoppers. We have to adapt to the market… this is where the market is so you have to include those brands,” said Mr. Saw. “We continue to evolve… we remain local, but fashion-wise we go global. In terms of latest trends and designs, we make sure it’s here in SM but at very local-friendly prices,” he added.

Of course, with expansion comes new issues such as the need for faster service.

“We want the service to be faster and friendlier. As we upgrade the store, along comes the service, which is more important,” said Mr. Saw. “We do spot-checking, we have timers with our department heads, we make sure that the intercoms are working very well, and we also provided wireless radios so that they [the sales assistants] can radio the stockmen inside to bring the items faster,” he added.

SM has been making big moves of late — aside from building the country’s largest shoe department, it has also been getting international endorsers such as renowned male model David Gandy for SM Menswear this year and actress and style icon Sarah Jessica Parker last year for SM Aura. Ms. Parker’s likeness still graces many SM stores today. “The global endorsers are an ongoing marketing effort. We’d like to be talked about as much as possible… the more we do business, the more we’d like to expand,” said Mr. Saw. — J.L.G.