“DAVAO will never be the same without Aldevinco,” said Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte during the grand launching of Poblacion Market Central, an Alsons Development and Investment Corporation (Alsons Dev) project.
Aldevinco Shopping Arcade was a Davao City landmark, which is perennially on the must-visit list of every traveler visiting Davao. More than a shopping arcade, it was a favorite hang-out of the locals in the 70s for its food offerings frequented by locals at any time of the week.
Aldevinco’s glory days are far from over. The original structure may have been shut down for a new development, but the heart of Aldevinco now lives in a new home, in a new address a few meters away. The Poblacion Market Central IS the new Aldevinco, made contemporary and hip.
“We need identity. Sagol ang mga tao dinhi but they all identify as Davaoeños. The significance of this place shows our identity,” said Mayor Baste.
Poblacion is now the new address of Mindanao heritage finds — from pearls to fabrics, antiques and souvenirs to home decors. However, beyond the “usual Aldevinco finds,” Poblacion is an art cradle.
In October last year, it embraced the Mindanawon artists’ obras in the Mindanao Art Fair, turning the stalls and halls into art galleries. It continues doing so with an appointed hall to host art shows for the seasoned and emerging local artists. In the public spaces, showcased are works of renowned local artists like Kublai Millan, perhaps the first name entered on Poblacion’s permanent collections catalog.
If Goody-Goody Kiosk rings a bell, then you’re an old-timer. The kiosk is the go-to place for ice cream sundaes and parfaits, and the “cheese roll” aka “tsinelas” which the population beyond Generation X won’t know of and why it’s referred to as such. The point is, Aldevinco lured in the crowd with food then, and Alsons Dev is positioning Poblacion to be the same today with a curated list of foodpreneurs in its hip food hall, Kukun (short for Kusina at Kultura ng Dabaw).
“Alsons Dev is happy to host and showcase the work of Davao’s best creatives. Whether they make food, sculptures, weaves and textiles, or handicrafts, we believe that testing their concepts in a place like Poblacion Market Central contributes to a retail and cultural scene that is meant to gain national recognition. Poblacion, true to its tagline, is a place where the heritage of Davao meets the possibilities of a hip and ever-evolving market,” says Miguel A. Dominguez, Alsons Dev Director.
Even in its infancy stage, the place is already referred to as “Poblacion” only, dropping the “Market Central,” just like how its predecessor is referred to as “Aldevinco” minus the “Shopping Arcade.” The names have a ring to it, easy to recall.
In the next four months, Poblacion will open more concept stores and experiences in time for the holidays.
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