They say memory lives in places, and if you spent your youth in Metro Manila in the ’80s or ’90s, chances are Greenhills lives in yours too.
A touching tribute: Uniqlo’s illustrated mural honors the Greenhills community, mapping beloved landmarks from Pinaglabanan Shrine to ICA and Xavier School, all the way to its newest home. PHOTOS FROM UNIQLO PH
So when I steped into Uniqlo’s newest (and 80th) store in the Philippines — a shiny, two-storey, 2,943-square-meter space now prominently located at the corner frontage of the new Greenhills Mall — it wasn’t the size or sleekness that caught me right away. It was the giant mural beside the escalators, illustrating in bright, nostalgic detail, the community I’ve come to know and love through the years.
The newest Uniqlo branch, now proudly fronting the corner of Greenhills Mall, stands as the brand’s second-largest store in the country.
The artwork maps out the Greenhills — ergo, San Juan City — community with a warm and playful charm that begins at the historic Pinaglabanan Shrine and moves along a series of instantly familiar scenes. There’s a friendly school bus in front of Xavier School, where my sons now go; a steaming plate of Hainanese Chicken Rice from the Hainan Guy; and the recognizable façade of Cardinal Santos Medical Center, where so many of our pediatric and emergency visits have taken place. It then carries on to Shoppesville’s beloved Choc Full of Nuts, and finally, the very store it now welcomes — Uniqlo in bright red and white — gently woven into the neighborhood it now calls home.
Inside, curated LifeWear pieces take center stage across two levels of thoughtful, travel-ready staples.
It’s a sweet tribute — this mural — almost like a love letter to the community that has long made Greenhills more than a mall. And perhaps, that’s why this Uniqlo opening feels more personal than most.
Greenhills exclusives: UTme! lets shoppers customize tees featuring iconic local favorites like Choc Full of Nuts and Hainan Guy.
Growing up just across the way in Quezon City, Greenhills was always the go-to. It was the place for post-class hangouts, tiangge treasure hunts, and family lunches in Kimpura or Gloria Maris after Sunday Mass. I still remember squeezing into Shoppesville’s narrow aisles searching for Espadrilles and oversized t-shirts, then emerging into sunlight with a paper bag and a snack in hand. That ritual — that rhythm — has stayed with me. And now, even as I still call QC home, Greenhills remains a constant — woven into the fabric of my days as a mother, a shopper, and a longtime loyalist.
Uniqlo Philippines executives and Greenhills’ heads toast to the opening with a traditional sake ceremony.
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In fact, I think I find myself in Greenhills even more often nowadays. My sons’ after-school meet-ups, their friends’ celebrations, weekly errands, and Kimpura and Gloria Maris still topping comfort food choices — they all still orbit this place. Even my co-parents from the boys’ school joke that if we ever lose each other, we’ll find each other in Greenhills. And now, specifically, in Uniqlo.
As the global fast fashion brand’s second-largest store in the country (just after Glorietta), the Greenhills branch expectedly brings everything we’ve come to love about the Japanese retailer — timeless silhouettes, clever functionality, and travel-ready basics — all in one impressively organized space. But again, what makes this store extra special is the clear effort to honor Greenhills’ multigenerational ties.
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More than just clothes, the launch reminded us that Greenhills is still about people — the same people who walked these tiled halls in their teens, and now walk them again with kids in tow, hunting for socks, thermal wear, or a button-down shirt that looks equally good on dad and sons.
Because while development continues to reshape this pocket of Metro Manila, its soul — and ever-strong neighborhood heartbeat — remain wonderfully intact.
Uniqlo’s arrival may mark a new chapter for the ever-changing space that Greenhills is today, but it feels just right, as if it were always meant to be there.
And I, for one, am ready to shop.
