MARIKINA SHOE EXPO IN CUBAO
With Araneta Center all dolled up and fresh from its makeover by RKTL, there are more and more reasons to trek back to Cubao these days. But the best reason to take the trip would be the Marikina Shoe Expo. Since the 1970’s, it has been a strip of outlet stores for Marikina shoe brands, but today this quaint area (quaint in a 1970’s Cubao kinda way of course) is dotted with bookstores, eclectic shops, and quirky art galleries (with names such as Vintage Pop, Datelines, Blacksoup - see below - and The Chunky Far Flung Gallery). But undoubtedly, the expo’s main attraction would be Bellini’s, the genuine family-run Italian restaurant tucked away at the back (owned by former paparazzi photographer Roberto Bellini) - and the shoe stores, of course. There’s really something for everyone at Marikina Shoe Expo: from Japanese toys to Jannilyn shoes; funky faux Finnish furniture to kitschy pop pieces; everything from books, boots, and brick-a-brac. The best part? The orange cake at Bellini’s. Parking is a breeze. Cheap. Most shops close at 9:00pm so pre-dinner window shopping is definitely possible.
68-69 Gen. Romulo St. Marikina Shoe Expo, Cubao, Quezon City
How to get there (via MRT):
Take Cubao platform on the MRT2 EDSA Line. Walk out of the Farmer’s Plaza and past Araneta Coliseum and the former Rustan’s Superstore beside Ali Mall. The Marikina Shoe Expo is right beside the bus terminals.
With Araneta Center all dolled up and fresh from its makeover by RKTL, there are more and more reasons to trek back to Cubao these days. But the best reason to take the trip would be the Marikina Shoe Expo. Since the 1970’s, it has been a strip of outlet stores for Marikina shoe brands, but today this quaint area (quaint in a 1970’s Cubao kinda way of course) is dotted with bookstores, eclectic shops, and quirky art galleries (with names such as Vintage Pop, Datelines, Blacksoup - see below - and The Chunky Far Flung Gallery). But undoubtedly, the expo’s main attraction would be Bellini’s, the genuine family-run Italian restaurant tucked away at the back (owned by former paparazzi photographer Roberto Bellini) - and the shoe stores, of course. There’s really something for everyone at Marikina Shoe Expo: from Japanese toys to Jannilyn shoes; funky faux Finnish furniture to kitschy pop pieces; everything from books, boots, and brick-a-brac. The best part? The orange cake at Bellini’s. Parking is a breeze. Cheap. Most shops close at 9:00pm so pre-dinner window shopping is definitely possible.
68-69 Gen. Romulo St. Marikina Shoe Expo, Cubao, Quezon City
How to get there (via MRT):
Take Cubao platform on the MRT2 EDSA Line. Walk out of the Farmer’s Plaza and past Araneta Coliseum and the former Rustan’s Superstore beside Ali Mall. The Marikina Shoe Expo is right beside the bus terminals.
