Rustan’s opens in Ermita

When Rustan’s Department Store opened a branch in Ermita last week, it was not just another store opening. It was a sentimental event. A virtual homecoming.

As Rustan’s opened its doors at the Padre Faura Wing of Robinsons Place Manila, it went full circle. For just a few blocks away is San Marcelino street, the site of the very first store opened by Bienvenido Tantoco and Gliceria Rustia-Tantoco in 1951.

Rustan’s loyal shoppers (and they are legion) recall that the store actually began "as a set of goods hurriedly displayed for sale in the living room of the couple." The gift shop just grew and grew from a mom-and-pop business to the country’s premier lifestyle retailing chain.

"Our parents made such a good team," says Rico Tantoco, president of Rustan Commercial Corporation. "Our mother, the late Glecy Tantoco, really had a superb eye in retailing. Anything she touched and sold at Rustan’s made a connection with the customer. She set such high standards. She believed that customers should always get the best service, so she thought of the slogan ‘Rustan’s, Where Shopping is a Pleasure.’ She also had an impeccable sense of detail. Her mantra was: Retail is detail."

That kind of shopping pleasure and attention to detail are the very same signature style of service given to Rustan’s customers at Robinsons Place Manila.

"We felt that the Manila market was yearning for a lifestyle store that would complete their every need," Rico explains. "It was a very good opportunity for us. We felt a need to be closer to this market."

This newest Rustan’s Department Store – the seventh in a chain which includes branches in Makati, Shangri-La Plaza, Alabang, Cubao, Harrison Plaza and Cebu – carries a whole range of lifestyle needs. The latest in international fashion, from apparel to accessories, by the world’s best brands are found in this Padre Faura Wing.

World-class brands that the Ermita shoppers will enjoy include Ermenegildo Zegna, Vivienne Tam, Dunhill, Merto, Michael Brandon, Salt, Sinequanone, Amichi, Baby Phat, XOXO, Hollywood Jeans, Soul Edge, Hotkiss, Dollhouse, Oleg Cassini, Oneida, Wamsutta, Swarovski, and Sorema, among others.

What is the vision of Rustan’s second-generation leaders for the store?

Marilen Tantoco-Valbuena, director for marketing, answers: "We are continuing the legacy that our parents began in 1951. Their teachings have been the pillars of our operation. Until now, our father, Bienvenido Tantoco Jr., continues to help us search the world for brands and merchandise the Filipinos would enjoy. We intend to bring Rustan’s into the future by being the premier lifestyle store in the country."

True, Rustan’s has practically everything a lifestyle store can offer. The story goes that at Harrods, you can even order an elephant. Rustan’s is the Filipinos’ Harrods. What can we get at Rustan’s that others can’t offer?

Marilen quickly answers: "We search all over the world for the finest merchandise we can offer our customers. The heart and soul of Rustan’s are two-fold: our merchandise and our service. These two have always set us apart from the rest."

With Rustan’s Department Store now dominating the Padre Faura Wing of Robinsons Place Manila, looks like this part of Robinsons – like its East Wing at Robinsons Galleria – will soar with its more sophisticated and fashionable clientele. Malate’s cafe society and Chinatown’s big spenders will be at home.