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St. Francis Square: Bargain-hunting at a Central Business District
Buy clothes, shoes, gadgets, and more at the most affordable prices in Ortigas Center
By: Karen Grace Libao | January 27, 2017
All of us want to save a few bucks when shopping. No doubt, we prefer to hoard items when they are on sale. But why wait for the next big sale when there are bargain shops and malls nearby?
St. Francis Square, situated at the heart of the bustling business district of Pasig City, offers gadgets, fashion accessories, jewelry, beauty products, and apparels you can wear at the office, among the many things you can find there.
ShoppersGuide made a quick visit at St. Francis Square to discover the items that can be found (and haggled over) at the popular bargain center.
Watch and Jewelry
Coming from the main entrance of the St. Francis Square, which is right behind SM Megamall, you will immediately see an array of jewelry and wrist watches. The stall owners are very accommodating and will entertain your questions.
Class A watches in different designs
While looking around, we were approached by one seller who asked us what we were looking for. We told him that we wanted something to give our parents for their silver anniversary. He suggested we get them couple watches. A set of Class A Rolex couple watches was priced at PhP2,500, but the owner was willing to give it for PhP1,800.
For the budget conscious, there are also wrist watches sold at PhP150 for a set of two. An imitation Casio watch is offered at PhP150 each.
Chokers with girly designs
The chokers hanging by the stalls will catch your attention because of their perky pendants. They are sold at PhP100 apiece, but if you buy in bulk and haggle, you can bring the price down to PhP60 per piece. These chokers are but a sample of the trove of fashion accessories you will find scattered in the area.
Beauty Essentials
Tucked in the innermost corner of the mall is a bunch of kiosks offering beauty products. There are also several beauty salons and clinics that sell whitening soaps and other skincare products.
Lotions, revitalizing creams, essential oils, and body scrubs are some of the products you can find at St. Franscis Square to add to your beauty regimen collection.
Beauty products can be as low as Php100 but can also be as pricey as Php3,000. Prices depend on the type of product, brand, ingredients, and even the body part the product will be used for.
Some kiosks offered imported products from Korea and Japan. There was also a stall offering skin whitening pills, injectables, and serum, along with some hair care products.
Humane Shoppe, one of the beauty shops in the mall, is open for franchising. According to the seller, most of their products are used by makeup artists of local celebrities.
Tech Finds
Just across the jewelry stores is the section for gadgets, their accessories, and repair services.
Mobile phone units and accessories for sale and repair services are available at the ground floor.
If you’re looking to buy a new mobile phone or accessories for your gadgets, or if you need to get something repaired, you have a good chance of finding just what you need at St. Francis Square. They have a section for gadgets, their accessories, and where you can get repairs. You can bring in your mobile phone, laptop, and camera in need of some fixing.
Prices of items vary per stall so it is wise to ask from at least three to five stores before purchasing anything or availing of a repair service. You may be interested to know that you can swap used gadgets for the latest models. If this is what you want, it’s still good to ask around so you can get the best offer.
Clothing Section
The clothing section will surely be the frugal chicks’ favorite. The second and third levels of the mall are filled with trendy fashion finds at affordable prices.
Women’s long-sleeve blouses on display
The fashion finds at St. Francis Square can complete your closet must-haves without costing you an arm and a leg. Looking for some geeky office attire, classy chick dresses, rugged jeans, and homewear that still look cool? You’ll find all that and more—you just have to have enough energy to go around two levels of the clothing section.
The fashionista will have a lot of options at the clothing section.
You can buy clothes anywhere from PhP100 to PhP450. But prices can go as low as PhP150 for two blouses. Just remember that most items sold at St. Francis Square’s apparel section come in free size, which means they can fit small to medium frames. You may want to try out the clothes you’re eyeing before actually buying to make sure that they fit you well.
Footwear Stalls
Also on the second level of St. Francis Square are stalls full of footwear. You will find featured shoes and sandals literally on the spotlight while displayed in front of the stalls.
Shoes and sandals in assorted colors
Class A rubber shoes
Shoes and sandals of various styles and designs are available in different colors. So, if you found something that you liked but hoped it was in another color, don’t hesitate to ask the seller for options. Sandals range from PhP100 to PhP350, depending on the quality and design. There are boots available for PhP800. Flat shoes can be bought from PhP350 to PhP550. Always try on the shoes or sandals before purchasing as actual sizes may vary per item.
Shopping Tips
St. Francis Square is quite small compared to other malls in the metro. Albeit small, however, it never falls short of items and services that we commonly need. You simply must have enough energy and patience to scour the place and thoroughly check the items you are purchasing.
The shops usually don’t have fitting rooms for customers to use. But you can try on the items you want to purchase in the makeshift fitting corners inside the stalls themselves—they use a large piece of cloth as curtain.
Remember to always ask for the lowest price possible. You have a good chance of getting items at discounted prices in the morning because shop owners are still waiting for their buena mano or first sale of the day.
Finally, bring an eco bag if going on a shopping spree and avoid the use of plastic bags. By doing so, you not only save money for yourself from finding great bargains at St. Francis Square, but you also help save the environment. Way to go!
Click the store name/s to see their exact addresses and contact numbers.
Prices may change without prior notice.
About Karen Grace Libao
Karen writes for a living and for fun. She started her writing career in 2014 when she worked as Content Manager for a women’s website and never looked back since. On her free time, she tries to catch up on her current reads, seeing independently-produced films, watching theatre plays, and attending live music and open mic gigs. She dreams of becoming a published writer and film producer in the future.
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