SM Supermalls

History

SM Supermalls was pioneered by Henry Sy, a Chinese-Filipino businessman whose roots traces back to Fujian. Sy opened his first shoe store in Quiapo in 1948 and later the first store under the Shoemart (SM) name in 1958 along Carriedo. In 1972, Shoemart turned into a full-line department store.

In 1985, the company ventured into the supermarket and home appliance store business. It opened the first "Supermall" in the same year named SM North EDSA in Quezon City.

SM expanded abroad with the opening of its first branch in China in 2001. The mall is SM City Xiamen in Fujian.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company's revenue was down nearly 50% in 2020, though it claims to have maintained a healthy occupancy rate throughout the pandemic.

Locations

Currently, there are 89 shopping malls in the Philippines managed by SM Supermalls, including the latest addition, SM City La Union, which opened on October 17, 2025. It also has nine malls in China, including the most recent mall, SM City Xiamen Haicang, which opened on October 24, 2025. Some of its malls are among the largest in the Philippines. and also among the largest in the world.

Philippines

Current SM Supermalls in the Philippines

Other malls

Malls under-construction

Planned or proposed malls

China

Current SM Supermalls in China

Tenants and amenities

SM Cinema

SM Cinema is the movie theater chain of SM Supermalls. Originally operating under West Avenue Theatres Corporation, it is also responsible for some milestones in the Philippine film industry.

Formats

Aside from traditional cinemas, SM Cinema offers the Director's Club, IMAX, Large Screen Format, Centerstage, and SM Event Screen.

The Director's Club, available at several malls, features leather-recliner-seating and butler service, equipped with Dolby 7.1 surround sound or Dolby Atmos depending on the branch. It opened its first branch at SM Mall of Asia in 2006, and it opened its newest branch at SM City Laoag in May 2025.

SM Cinema operates IMAX theaters in the Philippines in partnership with IMAX Corporation. The first IMAX branch in the Philippines opened in 2006 at SM Mall of Asia. It initially had a capacity of 635 seats (later reduced to 490+ seats after renovation and Paragon 918 seating upgrade in 2019) and a screen height of 21.955 m, making it the largest cinema screen in the country. It opened its first IMAX with Laser at SM City Iloilo in November 2023. The partnership deal will have seven IMAX with Laser upgrades and three new locations. Three locations in Metro Manila have been upgraded to IMAX with Laser in SM Aura, SM Mall of Asia, and SM North EDSA. The three new IMAX locations would possibly be opening at regional locations such as the upcoming SM Neo Verde.

The Large Screen Format is equipped with a screen 30% larger than the standard cinema screen size and is equipped with Dolby 7.1 surround sound system or Dolby Atmos sound system (in SM City Fairview and SM Seaside City). It opened its first branch in SM City Cabanatuan in 2015.

Centerstage is a cinema combined with traditional theater features. Thus, it is designed to accommodate a range of events, including live musical concerts and theatrical performances. The Centerstage is currently available at SM Seaside City.

SM Event Screen is designed to host private gatherings, with a screen measuring 5.4 by. Its first branch was opened at SM City Tanza in October 2022. It also opened branches at Aura, Bataan, Bicutan, Cebu, Tuguegarao, and Urdaneta Central.

There are no cinemas at some SM Center branches such as Pasig, Las Piñas, Dagupan, and San Pedro.

Other developments

The first drive-in theater in the Philippines was opened under the SM Cinema brand in July 2020 at SM City Pampanga.

There is a policy in place since 2002, which dictates the non-airing of films rated R-18 in SM Cinemas.

SM Store

The SM Store is the department store chain of SM Supermalls. The first outlet was established in 1972 along Carriedo in Quiapo, Manila, when Shoemart store was converted into a full-fledged department store. prior to being rebranded as "SM Store". The SM Store would become one of SM Supermall's common anchor tenant.

SM Skating

SM Skating is SM's indoor ice rink chain. The first rink opened at SM Megamall in 1992 which later closed in 2009, but has since reopened in 2014 at another space. It also has branches at SM Mall of Asia and SM Seaside City, and there used to be one at SM Southmall as well.

Recreation

SM Bowling Center

SM Bowling Center, also simply known as SM Bowling, is SM's bowling alley chain. The first branch opened in 1989 at SM North EDSA, which reopened in 2009 at another space at the same Annex 2 building. Other branches are at SM Megamall, SM City Clark, SM City Cebu, SM Seaside City, and SM Lanang. Former branches at SM Southmall, SM City Fairview, SM CDO Downtown, and SM Mall of Asia have been transitioned to SM Game Park, and there was also a branch at SM Center Valenzuela.

SM Game Park

SM Game Park is a recreational and entertainment facility offering sports amenities (such as bowling, billiards, basketball, table tennis, and archery, varying by branch), a game room, arcades, karaoke, and a sports bar. The first branch opened at SM Southmall on December 10, 2021. The flagship branch is located at SM Mall of Asia. Other branches are located at SM City Fairview, SM CDO Downtown, SM Mall of Asia, SM City Santa Rosa, SM City East Ortigas, and SM City Manila.

SM Markets

Main article: SM Retail

Every SM Supermall features supermarket chains such as SM Supermarket, SM Hypermarket, and Savemore Market, collectively known as SM Markets, as anchor tenant. Most SM Supermalls house one of these brands, while some malls (including SM City Fairview and SM North EDSA) have both SM Supermarket and SM Hypermarket coexisting. Standalone Savemore malls, Hypermarket outlets, and Savemore Express Markets are also considered as outlets of SM Supermalls.

SM Cyberzone

SM Cyberzone is SM's chain of IT retail stores, featuring gadget and technology retailers, concept stores of electronic brands, and telecommunications providers in dedicated areas inside SM Supermalls. It is also recognized as a hub for significant gaming and technology-related events. It originated as a lifestyle store in SM North EDSA's Carpark Building in 1998 before being rebranded to its current name.

Food courts

SM Food Court is the dining subsidiary of SM Supermalls, serving as a primary anchor in most SM Supermalls. It is designed to provide a wide range of affordable dining options within a high-traffic, communal seating environment.

Several malls, including upscale ones, feature upscale iterations of the concept called the Food Hall. A unique variation, Food on Four, is located at SM Aura. This version features a more sophisticated aesthetic, upscale amenities, and a curated selection of gourmet tenants.

Catholic churches

In the Philippines, a predominantly Roman Catholic country, SM Supermall branches such as SM Aura, SM Megamall, SM North EDSA, SM City Grand Central, and SM City Cebu each feature a Catholic chapel within the mall building. In contrast, mall complexes such as SM Mall of Asia and SM Seaside City each have a separate church building. Masses are also held at other branches in their atrium, cinema, entrance, or SM Cyberzone branch, especially on Sundays and during Simbang Gabi.

Branding

Logo

The current logo for SM Supermalls was adopted in 2022, design by Pentagram. The logo consists of the letters "SM" in a custom typeface referred to as Henry Sans after founder Henry Sy, design by NaN and uses a shade of blue dubbed as "SM Electric Blue". It is concurrently used with the 2009 logo as it is still seen commonly nowadays even after the 2022 one was first used.

References

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