Goodbye, Greenbelt 1, Thanks For The Memories

(SPOT.ph) I didn't think much of it until now when a flood of memories rushed to my mind. I remember going there in my teens around the mid 80s (it opened in 1982). That place was my go-to if I wanted a more "sosyal" alternative to Quad and the Makati Commercial Center to which it was attached. I've had countless breakfasts, lunches and dinners with family, friends and dates at the restaurants that held court there through the years. Not many know this, but the area of Cafe Mediterranean used to be open air and there was a fountain in the middle. I absolutely loved going there.

There was no other place to bring a date than Greenbelt 1. No other moviehouse was as "sosyal" after Rizal Theater closed. Even when I began my corporate life in advertising. It was the closest mall to Paseo de Roxas, Rada, Gamboa and Benavidez Streets in the Legazpi area. That was ground zero for many of the major ad agencies back then and was a boon to us. We were sandwiched between Greenbelt and Little Tokyo/Makati Cinema Square. What could be better than having that many places to eat in? I recall frequently having lunch or dinner at Via Mare, Dulcinea, Wendy's, Cafe Med and so many more.

Also read: Why is Greenbelt 1 Being Demolished?

One of the best times was when we smuggled alcohol inside a large thermos to watch Liar Liar. We were tipsy in the first 30 minutes and by the middle of the movie we were laughing at all the jokes. Even the not so funny ones. What a good decade to be in. The last great one.

Greenbelt 1 wasn't just a mall

Greenbelt wasn't just THAT mall. The surrounding area was also a great place. Goldcrest was there with its handful of small shops selling many kinds of things. CD Warehouse was there as well and one of the OG Comic Quest branches (where I bumped into a very young Lucky Manzano with his yaya wanting to buy several packs of Marvel Masterpieces trading cards). Imported clothes and trinkets, plus legit perfumes. Not the testers or the class A ones. The real thing from the US or Europe. I can imagine the smell of Eternity just remembering. That brand of perfume defined most of the 90s—to the point that I hated it because everyone wore it, from the malls to the bars and clubs. I gave away mine and replaced it with a lesser known one by Nautica (the first sailfin shaped bottle).

Many may not remember this but the whole stretch from the metal parking beside Marketplace to the intersection of the New World Hotel was mainly an open air parking lot with a food court with a Mushroomburger kiosk and others. There were also numerous choices for food there: the original Pollo Loco, one of the earliest branches of Sugarhouse, Peking Garden (if I remember correctly), A&W and others I no longer remember. Across it was Coronado Lanes which also housed the mighty Saisaki.

Greenbelt 1 was 'it'

No other mall was as classy as Greenbelt 1 back in the 80s and 90s. It didn't need those fancy designer label stores, and none of those frou-frou hotels attached to it to make it noticeable. It was just it. The whole feeling of the place. The kinds of people hanging out there.

Knowing this building designed by the great Leandro Locsin will be gone forever saddens me. Well, that’s progress for you. Boomers or Gen X/Millennials will just have to contend with the memories.

Goodbye Greenbelt 1. Thanks. —Mike Chua

Mike Chua is a retired advertising copywriter. This essay originally appeared in the author's Facebook page. Minor parts were edited for clarity.Click this link to read the original post.