Lost Urban History | Fair Mart: Plaza Fair

01.26.2020 – This could be a Sunday perspective but it is more of going back to fond memories of defunct establishments in the Philippines and what really happened to them. Last Monday after getting off the elevated train just realize how the surrounding area of Plaza Lacson (named after the famous Mayor of Manila) is populated by either old deserted buildings, but old establishments under disrepair. In the past this was part of the central commerce dominated by Manila, where Escolta was the Ayala Mall of its golden era before the World War II. But what fondly I remember was the glory days of Department Stores and Plaza Fair was one of those place people go to besides its small stores named Fair Mart.

Today, both Fair Mart and Plaza Fair are just en empty shell of what they used to be. Plaza Fair also used to be the main department store to Makati Cinema Central Square, which is one of the early shopping malls from the mid-1980s that’s now slowly getting a revival with its slow renovation and update of some parts of that place. But with the old section where Plaza Fair used to occupy is nothing more than just an empty section waiting for a new tenant to take over.

My youthful recollection of both Fair Mart and Plaza Fair stores are those childhood days, where I get lost in the toy section or just staring at the diorama displays of the hottest toys during its time. Unfortunately, those photos of me in these stores have been lost in the fire to the resident in 2004 it is the same year the “Fair” stores slowly phased out as based on personal research the owner of the Gaisano retail store (Metro Retail Stores Group Inc.) acquired what’s left of its remaining assets.

Whenever I’m around Manila this empty building is still there beside the Carriedo Station of the LRT-1 elevated train. It is unfortunate that things were difficult for this company being founded sometime in 1978. It is similar to the demise of Syvel’s Shoe Store located in the corner of Burke Street and Escolta Street. It is now just a fond memory to those who grew up in this era and their connection to this department store. Surely, the current Mayor of Manila will figure out what to do with this unused section of the city, as previously mentioned when the newly elected to the office they will revitalize this city one day at a time.



Ideas in Mind | It Can Be Occupied by Street Vendors

The old BPI main building, which a small part of that place is still being used and the old Plaza Fair building both really need a shot in the arm in modernizing them. The former Plaza Fair can be occupied by a new tenant as the unused commercial space can be beneficial to the small business selling on the streets and why not?

Instead of vendors occupying the sidewalks that most pedestrians could no longer walk through the old Plaza Fair building is something worth using as mix use by new tenants as this commercial space can be populated by small businesses. This can also be occupied by street food vendors at the lower ground as a hawker section and all it needs is fixing the place up.

Plaza that Fair, well | Unknown Future

The Plaza Fair building is one of the unused commercial spaces around the Carriedo area that need some major redevelopment. The sight of the old building carries personal memories being able to actually go into this place during the height of its business. Now, it is just an empty structure that’s slowly becoming an eyesore due to the surrounding occupants taking informal residence nearby. It doesn’t help that in 2020 this building including the surrounding area is just the ghost of its past.

But we can’t say what hold for this area’s future I’m just taking notes on what the current mayor’s plans and what’s going to happen to these surrounding areas that includes this structure. For now, appreciate what’s left of nostalgia as we look forward to what happens next after Plaza Fair.