Sep 23, 2013
THE business unit of former Sen. Manuel Villar wants to make it big in the retail sector in the coming years as the company considers putting up convenience, home and appliance stores all over the country. Villar, who now heads listedproperty developer Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc. as well as mall and office leasing venture Starmalls Inc., said there is synergy in its foray into retail business. “We are big in property development and we want to become big in retailing as well. We want to capitalize on our beingthe [country’s] largesthome builder,” Villar said, at the sidelines of the launch of the company’s All Home branch in San Fernando, Pampanga, overthe weekend. All Home is a onestop home and appliance store business. Villar said the company is wants the brand to be known as a supplier of home furnishings and appliances for all its property developments. “But we want to use it n ot only to supply our requirements but also to serve our buyers and everybody as well,” Villar said. At the moment All Home has five smallformat branches situatedin Antipolo, San Jose del Monte in Bulacan, Metropolis Mall in Alabang, another in Muntinlupa and in San Fernando, Pampanga. Villar said he wants to build five more larger format branches next year. He declined to disclose the locations of the said branches. A smallformat unit costs about P50 million to build, excluding the property, as most of these will be inside malls. The See “Villar,” B2 Villar.. .CONTINUED FROM Bl largerformat stores will have around 10,000 square meters in floor areaand costs around P300 million to build. “We are still studying the small formats this year, but next year we will go into larger formats,” the former
senator said. Villar’s retail group, which will include its own brand of department stores, will fall under the MBV Holdings Corp., a company that was incorporated in May this year. Capitalization is only at P500 million but Villar said his family plans to increase that to PI billion in the coming months. The convenience stores brand called All Day will have 100 stores by the end of the year from the current 80 branches, mostly in Metro Manila and Luzon. The company rebranded its own group of convenience stores, formerly known as Finds, due to the lukewarm reception of the general public.
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