Golden ABC plans 50-80 stores next year across six brands – BusinessWorld Online
PHILIPPINE FASHION retailer Golden ABC, Inc. plans to open 50 to 80 stores next year across its six brands, reflecting confidence in the retail sector and Filipino consumers despite expectations of tempered demand during the Christmas season.
“Of course, we continue to be hopeful,” Chief Executive Officer Alice T. Liu told reporters on Monday. “Filipinos are generally optimistic. In business, you can never pause; you have to continue growing. If you don’t grow, you regress.”
The expansion will span Penshoppe, OXGN, Forme, Memo, Regatta, and BOCU, with the company requiring slightly over P100 million in capital to support store openings, depending on mall developments. Golden ABC is set to close 2025 with more than 1,000 stores nationwide.
Ms. Liu said the company is taking an agile approach to align with mall openings and market conditions. “We need to be able to position well with them… and react depending on circumstances.”
Despite its optimism for growth, Golden ABC expects a more cautious holiday shopping season this year. Ms. Liu said consumers might spend more consciously, although Filipinos “never really cancel Christmas.”
Retailers have seen early signs of holiday spending as government bonuses were released in mid-November. “There’s money in the bank… We just need to lift the mood so people feel there is something to celebrate,” she said.
The planned expansion comes amid broader optimism for the Philippine retail industry, even as economists note potential headwinds from cautious consumer sentiment. Golden ABC’s strategy to expand its footprint reflects a bet on sustained domestic demand, particularly among younger shoppers. — Justin Irish D. Tabile
