CARIGARA, Leyte — Puregold Price Club, Inc. is making an aggressive push to expand outside Luzon as it sets to open a new branch in this town by the end of this year.
Carigara Mayor Eduardo Ong said Monday the store is currently undergoing construction with a target finish this October.
The store will occupy the ground floor of a six-storey building that sits on a 1,000-square meter lot located in the town’s central commercial area.
The upper floors of the building will be occupied by a local department store that sells affordable dry goods and wares.
Ong dispels talks the new store will pave the way for smaller stores in the town to die down, and instead said it will boost healthy competition and create a more competitive business atmosphere that will enable small and medium businesses to grow.
The new store will also create employment opportunities and stir the local economy as a whole, the mayor said.
Puregold’s expansion beyond Luzon is consistent with its strategy to enter new geographic areas to accelerate growth.
Its drive to strengthen its footprint outside the Philippine capital and beyond Luzon is seen as a move to take advantage of economic growth in the provinces, according to the company website.
Ong said he is happy that investors are considering Carigara town as ripe for such a nationwide grocery-store and favorably considers the economic potential of the place.
Meanwhile, the mayor disclosed that more locators are interested to open new branches and businesses in the area; however, a viable location is proving to be a problem.
“We continue to help them search for a good location if only to boost their interest and eventually help locate in the town,” Ong said.
Puregold now has two branches in Eastern Visayas (Region 8) located in Tacloban City, Leyte and Borongan City, Eastern Samar. Ahlette Reyes (PNA)