Growing together: Homegrown Filipino fave recalls mall beginnings

Sharon Fuentebella was only a teenager when Max’s first opened at SM North Edsa.

“I was like 19 or 20 years old at the time when we opened the branch here at SM North. Parang thesis lang namin ‘to noon (This was like our thesis before). Wala pa kasing (there’s no) Max’s sa malls at that time,” she recalled. 

It was 1985 when Henry Sy Sr., fondly known as Tatang, approached Sharon’s father, Plaridel Fuentebella, the son-in-law of the restaurant’s co-founder Ruby Trota, to see if he was interested in occupying SM North Edsa’s last remaining space. 

“It was the first time we entered that format. It brought us closer to our customers at a time when malls were just starting to change the Philippine retail landscape,” Fuentebella said.

At that time, the brand was known for its freestanding stores, but the chance to enter a mall setting was a bold new step. 

“We said okay, we’ll take a chance because it looks like this is where the convergence of people living in Quezon City is. It was also bringing in other people from other areas,” she recalled. 

She remains thankful for Tatang’s vision, saying that it was always a surprise that “he was able to include us in his vision of bringing the restaurant experience to customers.”

What began as a single opportunity in the mid-1980s evolved into a nationwide partnership rooted in shared values, trust and an unwavering commitment to elevate the Filipino dining and shopping experience.

The move proved transformative and became a successful partnership for both. “When they grow, we grow,” Fuentebella said. “It’s always been a natural partnership, bringing communities together, and Max’s provides a place for families to gather over Filipino comfort food.”

The restaurant has reimagined its store designs with contemporary, open layouts; established coffee collaborations like Yardstick in SM Southmall; and experimented with distinctive dining options, including al fresco arrangements and versatile dining areas that enabled it to enhance its dining capacity.

From a single shared location in Quezon City to a presence that covers the archipelago, the partnership exemplifies how lasting collaborations can transform industries, enhance communities and forge unforgettable memories.