AN SM Store will reopen its doors Friday, November 17, at the Agana Shopping Center in Guam.

In an exclusive interview with BusinessMirror, Elizabeth Sy, president of GFPP Inc., which does business as Agana Shopping Center, said, “SM Department Store has been a success in the Philippines; a trend we expect will continue in Guam. Our goal is to continue our long-standing tradition in providing our customers with the best fashion, value, quality and service in diverse market and become the store of choice in Guam.

Henry Sy Sr., SM founder and patriarch of the Sy family, graced the blessing and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, along with his children, Tessie, vice chairman of SM Investments Corp. (SMIC), and Elizabeth, who is also senior vice president of marketing for SM Prime Holdings. Guam officials and key judges, business leaders, senators, business partners and organization heads, graced the event.

Jorge Mendiola, senior vice president for SM Inc., expressed confidence the department store will be able to compete head on with the larger retailers on Guam, such as Macy’s, Ross and DFS Galleria. “Because of our experience in the Philippines, we believe we can offer the right assortment [of goods] both to locals and tourists.

About 30 percent of the population on Guam trace their roots to the Philippines. The local Chamorro population, especially those who come to Manila regularly for business meetings, medical checkups and treatments, are also familiar with the SM brand.

Mendiola said the department store will basically just offer “dry goods to the shopping public and will not unduly compete with the Guam retailers in the shopping mall, like Payless. The SM Group also owns the Agana Shopping Center.

Besides its own brands, the SM Store will carry known Filipino brands like Freego, Urban Wear, Hawk, Parental Advisory, IZOD, Napoleon, among others, while those from the US will be Roxy, XOXO, Nine West, Kenneth Cole, Calvin Klein, Levi’s, Jones of New York, said Ms. Sy.

The SM Group was one of the earliest Filipino investors on Guam and operated a shoe store in the 1970’s. “We earlier had a store in Guam which we closed and we planned to revive it when we renovated the [Agana Shopping] mall, Mendiola said.