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  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

SM J Mall

SM J Mall (with the exterior signage as SM City J Mall) is a shopping mall in Mandaue, Philippines. Opened in 2011 and operated until 2023 as J Centre Mall, the mall was since acquired by SM Prime Holdings and was temporarily closed for upgrades and renovations, and reopened as SM J Mall on October 25, 2024. It is the first SM Supermall in Mandaue, the 4th SM Supermall in Cebu, and the 87th SM Supermall in the Philippines.

History

J Centre Mall in 2023, after its closure

The mall was first opened as J Centre Mall, and was owned and operated by EverJust Realty Development Corporation, a diversified local corporation based in Cebu. The mall had its first opening on September 30, 2011, with its anchor tenant SM Hypermarket, along with Watsons and other smaller stores, began operations. Full operations were reported to set to commence by November 2011.

On October 29, 2022, J Centre Mall's management sent out a notice of pre-termination of lease contract to its tenants and indicating its closure on January 31, 2023. The mall's closure was attributed to difficulties stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, where many brick-and-mortar stores faced stiff competition from online retailers due to pandemic-related restrictions.

Following the precedent set in other malls acquired by SM, which integrated their old names into their new ones, the mall was formally renamed SM J Mall.

Features

SM J Mall is a 123,000 m (1,320,000 sq ft), four-level mall that offers a mix of global and local brands among its tenant. SM J Mall is billed to feature a blend of modern and "Japan-inspired" elements in its architecture.

Izakaya Terrace

The mall will incorporate an Izakaya terrace, which will feature Japanese-inspired dining experiences, with a row of casual dining options with al fresco options.

Food Hall

The mall includes an Asian-inspired Food Hall, and is the second SM Supermall in Cebu to feature the Food Hall concept after SM City Cebu.

Cinemas

The mall will feature four cinemas, including two Director's Club cinemas, which are equipped with 100 recliner seats, laser cinema projection, and Dolby Atmos sound systems.

Incidents

2019 J Centre Mall heist

M Lhuillier Jewelry (the site of the heist), pictured in 2022

On October 19, 2019, at around 8 PM PST, a group of armed individuals stormed the mall, then still known as J Centre Mall, robbing four pawnshops and a money exchange. Local authorities estimate the suspects took off with ₱130 million worth of jewelry and ₱6 million in cash.

See also

References

  1. ^ Dagooc, Ehda (September 30, 2011). "J Mall to fully operate by November". The Freeman. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
  2. ^ Cacho, Katlene O. (February 12, 2023). "SM buys JCentre Mall". SunStar. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
  3. ^ "Metro Cebu's newest premier lifestyle destination, SM J Mall, opens soon". Inquirer.net. October 10, 2024. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
  4. ^ Mendoza, Norman V. (October 25, 2019). "J Centre Mall management speaks up, describes robbery incident 'isolated'". Cebu Daily News. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
  5. ^ Mascardo, Iris Hazel M. (October 21, 2019). "Ozamis robbery gang hits Mandaue: Four mall heist suspects killed". The Freeman. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
Preceded by 87th SM Supermall
2024
Succeeded by
SM City Laoag