Address: Colon St, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu
Located in the downtown Colon area, 138 Wholesale Mall is a haven for shoppers on a tight budget. Whether you’re looking for gifts for kids, men, or women, you can find something for everyone here.
Despite its name, you can find not only wholesale but also retail items in the mall. A large part of the mall is allotted to women’s wear. At both the ground and second floor, shoppers can find ladies’ pants, dresses, jumpsuits, skirts, cardigans, and blouses. These usually retail for PhP250 to PhP350. Kids’ shirts and tops range from PhP120 to PhP350, while teens’ shorts go for PhP199.
At the ground floor are electronics and jewelry stores where you can buy earphones for PhP380 to PhP550. Rings and earrings from Bangkok are sold at PhP50 to PhP100.
If you’d like to stock up on Christmas décor, Kakeng Store at the lower ground floor sells holiday-themed ornaments. Christmas balls cost PhP27 to PhP280 per box, while Christmas trees in varying heights range from PhP308 to PhP2,960.
Prices at 138 Mall (except in Kakeng Store) are negotiable. If you ask for a discount, salespersons give you PhP30 to PhP50 off the original price. Prices go even lower when you buy in bulk at Kim Sheng RTW & Fashion Accessories wholesale and retail store on the second floor.
Most stores at 138 Mall accept cash, though there is one store, in particular, C line factory Overruns, which also accepts
credit cards. As the mall is situated in the busy downtown area, it is best to take guard your belongings while shopping. Downtown Colon area is also prone to flooding, so do take precautionary measures when heading there on a rainy day.
Named as the best bazaar in Sun.Star Best of Cebu 2013,
The Plaza Bazaar aims to bring to Cebu the kind of
shopping experience Manileños have when visiting
Greenhills Shopping Center. Located at the second floor of Parkmall, The Plaza Bazaar houses 125 vendors in 1,200 square meters of mall space.
Ready-to-wear clothes for men and women, shoes, and bags abound in the bazaar. Men’s clothes range from PhP250 to PhP350 while women’s tops range from PhP150 to PhP380. Pouches sell for PhP100 to PhP150, while backpacks run from PhP380 to PhP1,800. Pre-loved limited edition designer jeans cost PhP1,500 to PhP8,000.
For your mother, aunt, or friend who likes jewelry,
NJJ Pearls Fashion Accessories carries earrings, necklaces, and bracelets made of pearls. Prices depend on the quality of the pearls but usually range from PhP50 to PhP100 for earrings and as much as PhP58,000 for a set of accessories made of South Sea pearls and diamonds.
August 2020 Update: NJJ Pearls Fashion Accessories is temporarily closed.
Kids and kids at heart can find toys to add to their collection at
Kidz Craze Gift Shoppe. They have a wide variety of action figures from Marvel, DC Comics, Disney, and even anime characters. Their toys come in sets of three to six pieces and range from PhP195 to PhP980 per set.
August 2020 Update: Kidz Craze Gift Shoppe is open.
Adventurous types can check out D’Travellers Fashion & Accessories. They sell camping knives from PhP100 to PhP950 and telescopes from PhP200 to PhP1,250 for those who like exploring the great outdoors.
Stores in The Plaza accept cash. Shoppers can also swipe their credit cards with the concierge at the middle of the bazaar.
Go to
Yoorekka to discover more shopping spots in Cebu with affordable finds!
For Christmas décor, Living in Style has a well-curated selection of Christmas ornaments to spruce up your home. Their Christmas balls range from PhP115 to PhP230. Ornaments in different designs like snowflakes, guitars, Easter eggs, and rattles cost anywhere from PhP55 to PhP315 per piece.
It’s easy to get caught up in the Christmas rush. But if you shop early, you can get first dibs on great gift items to spread some holiday cheer to friends and family.
Prices may change without prior notice.
This article was originally published in Yoorekka on November 26, 2016.