MCS has always been known for its rundown charm. With a hip new bar drawing in a new crowd, the mall looks forward to the future.
MANILA, Philippines – Makati Cinema Square, on the fringes of the city’s central business district, feels like more of a character than a commercial establishment, with a reputation that precedes it, and a story that begs to be told.
From the basement parking, there’s a literal underground club, NoKal, arguably the coolest kid on the MCS block. With theaters and a department store – a branch of the popular Plaza Fair shopping center – MCS became a Makati institution – though this period would be short-lived. “Because they [the tenants] owned the unit and they could lease to who they wish, we had no control in their leasing. So because of that, we couldn’t control what they were doing directly. So they would lease out to these sellers and they were doing these things, which was unfortunate. It was a dark time for the mall, and it was not sustainable. We were always getting notices and it was always an issue of concern for the family,” Carlo shared.
Somehow, they were able to find the money to repair the airconditioning system, and that became the start of the mall’s slow recovery.In 2018, the Rufino family put more money into MCS’ condo corp for the revival of the mall. The ceilings got a fresh coat of paint. The flooring was updated. More airconditioners were installed.
“They were supposed to develop it. Pandemic hits; unfortunately, they were not able to finish the project,” he said. As Poblacion boomed, a few problems came to the surface: a dearth of parking spaces and noise complaints from residents who still lived in the area. For Carlo, who says he is a fan of Poblacion, MCS could solve the nightlife district’s inherent problems.
The bar used to be located at a prime spot along Poblacion’s Kalayaan street – a three-storey building that saw so many different concepts come and go, it almost felt like it was cursed. When NoKal took over the space though, it actually worked, and for almost two years, it became a go-to for the part crowd looking for alternative club music.“Before the pandemic, NoKal, I feel like, was at its prime and it was at its peak.
“I was like, you know what Carlos, let me explore this. I have this feeling, you know. And sometimes, certain things happen for a reason and it happens in the right time, the right moment. And I feel like this just gave me this feeling that there’s something in here that I might be interested in. And we explored,” Marco shared.
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