S&R sets opening in May

ANOTHER shopping experience is up for Dabawenyos as S&R Membership Shopping is set to open its seventh warehouse store in Matina, Davao City in May, and its first outlet in Mindanao.

Kelly Ricks, S&R head of operations, said they originally planned to open on May 10, but decided to move it to a later date due to the conduct of the midterm election on May 13.

"But our opening date is still within our target," he said in Friday's press conference at Royal Mandaya Hotel, adding they already have the "exciting merchandise" ready to be shipped in the city.

S&R is a membership-shopping club modeled after the warehouse membership shopping chains in the United States. At present, it has branches at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, Congressional in Quezon City, Alabang in Muntinlupa City, Aseana in Baclaran, Cebu and Pampanga.

"Davao is a city with good reputation. Based on out study, the people here have a good taste on anything that they buy," Ricks said when asked about their decision to expand in the city. "And this is a large city."

He said this goes along with what S&R is all about -- world-class merchandise, great value offers, specialty services and exciting membership privileges.

Ricks also said newly-hired managers and supervisors of their Davao store have undergone trainings in Manila as they put premium on customer satisfaction.

"We guarantee satisfaction among our customers," he said, adding that they have hired close to 200 regular and skilled employees basically to attend to the needs of shoppers-members.

Based on a briefer distributed during the press conference, S&R's core concept is to deliver to members-shoppers significant value for their money through an efficient and effective retailing system anchored on aggressive buying, low-cost distribution and streamlined operations.

There are two ways to become a member, through business membership, which is open to owner or manager of licensed business, and the gold membership, which can be availed by individuals aged 18 years and above.

Each member has the following benefits and perks:

* First picks of imported name-brand merchandise;
* Exclusive deals and discounts;
* Unmatched everyday savings;
* Access to specialty services;
* Shopping priveleges at all S&R branches.

"We are warmly welcome here. We see a lot of (Dabawenyos) who want to become a member," Ricks said, although he refused to give figures on their target membership for their Davao store.

"But like in other branches, we expect to exceed our target membership in Davao City," he said.

S&R offers a wide array of local and imported merchandise, such as baked goods, grocery items, wellness and beauty products, home furnishings and tire services exclusive to members.

S&R boasts of its "Everyday Fresh Section" that carries local and imported fresh chilled meat products, such as Australian and New Zealand beef, local pork and poultry that are sourced from only one accredited supplier to prevent cross contamination which usually happens when dealing with multiple suppliers. This section also offers fruits and vegetables that are garden-fresh quality produce delivered daily from the country's premier growing regions.

Its "Food Service Station" also offers piping hot New York style pizzas, calzones, churros, hotdogs, cheeseburgers, blue bunny ice creams, clam chowder, rotisserie chickenm rice and even coffee.