SM’s biggest challenge

For decades, SM has been the biggest player in the northern part of Metro Manila as a place to hang out and shop. But with the introduction of the Trinoma, SM has certainly found its worthy challenger. The North Triangle used to be a no-man’s land before the construction of the Metro Railway Transit (MRT 3) train depot and subsequently, the Trinoma. Now, it’s a buzzing district ripe for development. It has certainly turned the image of Northern Quezon City around.

The Trinoma is located over the aforementioned MRT 3 depot. The first thing you’ll notice is the elaborate architecture, not usually found in SM Malls. The aisles are wide and the ceilings are higher, giving you the feeling of freedom inside an enclosed space. It boasts of 600 shops, six all-digital cinemas, and a state-of-the-art THX cinema. Crossings and Landmark department stores are also in the mall. The stores are basically the same as those found in other Ayala Malls, like Glorietta or Greenbelt. Expensive brand names like Lacoste and Florsheim can be found in Trinoma as well. There is a rooftop park and a gravity-defying reverse waterfall where the water flows upward instead of the traditional and boring downward flow. The developers of Trinoma even said that their new mall is a mixture of both Glorietta and Greenbelt—fast and furious Glorietta meets calm and relaxed Greenbelt.

Getting there

Getting to Trinoma is easy. The North Avenue terminus of the MRT is directly linked to the mall. There is a bus stop and jeepney stop along EDSA and an access road to North Avenue and Mindanao Avenue is now open. Parking will never be a problem because of the 3,000-car capacity parking building just beside the mall. Most people say it’s easier to go to Trinoma than SM North because of the direct access to the MRT.

For your shopping convenience

Finding the shops or restaurants that you want are easy with all the signs posted in the mall. Ayala even devised a zoning plan inside the mall, where one section is dedicated to children and another just for adults. A number of stores have yet to open, though, but the Trinoma management said that more than 90% of the stores available have already been leased. This does not stop the crowds from coming to Trinoma, as most of the restaurants are already open. There is a food court too, but it’s a bit small considering the size of the mall.

QC’s newest mall may be the place to be now. With all the amenities and state-of-the-art features, the Trinoma is certainly riding high on the list of must-see pasyalan places.