A good friend Johnson Go, then AVP - Business Development for the Robinsons Retail Group, had requested me to gather some data about a projected Cebu Boardwalk development in Mandaue City. Being new to the business community of Cebu, I called up Denden Alo, another buddy, hoping to gather some info about said project. I was in luck, because Denden happened to be connected with the project. Excited that the Robinsons Group were asking about CBW, she then introduced me to her superior, Yvonne Gomos.
We met at the then Vienna Cafe at JY Square - me, Denden and Yvonne. Denden had warned me earlier about Yvonne, i.e., that she was strictly formal, "the professor type" of person (which I later on found out was her former profession - a professor at UP Cebu), and somewhat the conservative type. Both Denden and I were the outgoing types, very casual and certainly not the conservative ones.
So, I had to somewhat condition myself a bit when I went into this meeting due to that earlier warning of my friend. Denden was already at Vienna Cafe when I arrived. Yvonne was a bit late. Introductions were made, and as the meeting progressed, I warmed up to the lady. She was what Denden described to a T. But I also found her to be very warm, friendly, gracious and very open to ideas. The meeting progressed well, and I got the information I needed. I was also recruited by the two CBW ladies to help them out in the leasing aspect of the developmet, as consultant.
Over the next months, I saw these two form the project group that would run the project. They had their first office at the HSBC Bldg near Mango Square. The project group now consisted of 6 staff - Yvonne Gomos, Butch Soson, Denden Alo, Chiqui Crystal, Grace Lopez and Kookie Gutierrez.
I assisted the group by providing relevant leasing documents/data and invite/negotiate major anchor locators, particularly the Robinsons Retail group, Robinsons Movieworld, Archie Flores, WATC, Pure Gold, ; other specialty retail stores in the likes of SSI, Mango, Chains, the 50th Ave. Store, Shiseido, Dockers, Body Shop, MFG, Tokyo Fashion and other locals.
In 2004, the project was presented to the public at Marriott Hotel in Cebu City. The grandness of the concept awed all those that were present in that project launch. It was a grand affair too, with all the FF Cruz bigwigs in attendance headed by its owner Mr. Felipe Cruz.
Remember, the project was launched in 2004. It was conceptualized years before. You would think that by now the project would already have been well ahead in its operational stage, right?
Well, unfortunately, as of this writing, the project is yet to open. Don't ask me why. Only top management can answer that.
BTW, I have to put this on record that I wa never given any form of compensation for the work that I did with CBW in the early years.
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