SM Aura Premier

One salient advantage of this mall is that it is strategically located near the Fort Bonifacio High Street and the Market Market Mall.

On a Sunday, we were able to get the chance to see and visit this newly opened mall at the Global City called the SM Aura Premier. This newest SM mall (aside from the controversy between it and Taguig City) has created much hype after the famous American actress Sarah Jessica Parker opened it to the public. 

Just like any other SM malls, the Aura is open from 10 am to 10 pm and is just a walking distance away from the Market Market Mall and the Fort Bonifacio High Street where the Serendra Condominiums are located.

The entrance of the SM Aura immediately evokes class and being high-end.  While inside this mall, I was reminded of the “Annex” of SM North in Quezon City given its well-designed and very stylish stairs and structures. SM Aura is strikingly similar to the SM North Annex. Perhaps it is safe to say that SM Aura is like having SM North in Taguig.

As I strolled the mall’s spacious premises, I can really feel how excited the shoppers were. There were a lot of people - maybe because it is a Sunday or the freshness of this mall currently attracts a great number of shoppers. Yet, with a mall in almost every corner of Metro Manila, being in a mall on a weekend has become common and usual. There is really nothing new except that shopping is becoming more convenient.

SM Aura definitely belongs to the group of gigantic malls in Metro Manila. It is huge! On its rooftop is the still being built “Sky Park”. If SM North has a “Sky Garden”, the Aura has its “Sky Park”. The Sky Park offers a very beautiful view of Fort Bonifacio.  I can assume that this area would also have well-manicured gardens just like in SM North.  I consider the Sky Park as the most beautiful part of this mall.  It is very relaxing to just sit, enjoy the view and the refreshing air of Fort Bonifacio. At the Sky Park, it is difficult to imagine that this place was previously earmarked for military use.

 

Most of the shops and tenants you can find in other SM Malls can also be found in SM Aura. However,  since this mall is still undergoing construction, there are some tenants, through their large tarpaulins, have announced their “grand opening” on a later month. The very first shop we have visited at the Aura is Starbucks. While enjoying my favorite coffee, I began thinking about malls.

One thing I have observed is that malls being constructed in Metro Manila are becoming more high-end and classier. I noticed that a huge mall is also being built in Quezon Avenue to be called the "Fisherman's Mall" and near SM Fairview another Ayala mall is being built. In Katipunan, a mall is also being constructed where the UP Integrated School was previously located.

Malls are practically being built everywhere.  They are changing or have already changed the Philippine landscape. I really do not know if this is good for the country. Obviously, the malls are creating jobs.  But, what kind of jobs do these malls create?

No doubt malls make shopping very convenient. But with so many malls being built, I cannot help asking if people still have the money to buy things that are being sold in these malls. I often notice that most people are merely doing "window shopping".  I really find it ironic that despite the lack of financial resources, common folks still flock to the malls.

After visiting the Aura, we walked towards Market Market Mall.  We passed by the Serendra Condominiums and the damage caused by an explosion to a unit is still very visible. I really hope that the authorities can find out what really happened and what caused this explosion. It is very disturbing for an event such as this to happen in this posh condominium.

With the opening the Aura Premier, Fort Bonifacio is fast becoming the Shopping Capital of Metro Manila. The Aura, Fort Bonifacio High Street and the Market Market Mall give the public different shopping experiences.

This newest mall would definitely increase the competition among the various establishments at the Global City. The upsurge of competition would be very beneficial to the consumers and the general public. The Aura would definitely bring added convenience and lots of choices for the shopaholic. I just hope that the economy picks up fast enough as these malls are being constructed.