VILLEROY & BOCH sells a promise “of products whose outstanding quality is evident at first glance.” VAUGHN ALVIAR
Twenty-Four Seven carries with it an image of undying energy, and with that in mind, Twenty-four Seven McKinley opened its doors on April 27 to hundreds of guests, many of whom from high society.
The eye-catching 24-story building at the corner of 24th Street and 7th Avenue, McKinley Parkway—hence its name—has such a phonetically-appealing location it is geared to be “the future best address,” declared Johnny Litton, host of the new building’s opening ceremony.
The building has five floors, or 5,000 square meters, showcasing products from German cabinet-maker SieMatic, and bathroom and kitchen fixture manufacturer Dornbracht, American furniture chain Ethan Allen, and refrigeration and cooking giants Sub-Zero and Wolf.
Also among the products are Miele, Pella, Villeroy & Boch, Hunter Douglas, and Maxalto and B&B Italia, a partnership launched on the day itself.
Other floors will be rented out as office spaces—with Italian Ambassador Massimo Roscigno saying in his remarks: “It’s a landmark; I’m very impressed. I would love to have an Italian embassy here. Let’s talk about this.”
Inspiring backstory
But beyond the posh setup at the penthouse of the newly opened building, and at the foundation of the company, is an inspiring backstory, said Steve Sy, Focus Global Inc. president.
“What you might not know is that my first job after finishing college was with SGV, along Ayala in Makati… Back then I was awed by the large corporation, the tall buildings along Ayala, which is the most prestigious address in the Philippines,” he began.
B&B ITALIA’S chairs give off a modern vibe. VAUGHN ALVIAR
“A friend of mine then asked me: ‘What would I like to achieve some years from now?’ I told him that I wanted to own and operate a successful business that provides a challenging and fulfilling working environment for each employee, appreciated by its business partners and also—I was daydreaming—to own a building along Ayala Avenue.
“Yes, it was pure daydream. Today, I can say without reservation that we have some of the best professionals in the market. We are also very well respected and appreciated by our business partners, and now we also have a 24-story building along McKinley Parkway,” he said.
The respect was evident in the praises heaped at the company by some of its partners during the launch.
“This is one of the best showrooms I’ve ever seen for SieMatic,” said export director Matthias Weiss. “What we see here can be a blueprint for a high-end studio for furnishings worldwide.”
“I use Focus Global as really a model as I travel the world,” said Dan Grow, Ethan Allen’s vice president for business development. He described the company as an educated risk taker.
In 1991, Focus Global Inc. started its operations with about 20 people in a warehouse on Sheridan Street in Mandaluyong.
“Loli (his wife) and I had the single focus, a goal of giving Filipinos access to the finest home furnishing products. We have been building on that goal for the last 18 years, consistently bringing more and more of the world’s finest brands to the Philippines… Today we have over 300 full-time employees, 18 brands whom we exclusively represent, and 11 satellite showrooms.”
After three years of persistence, he said, the blueprint became a grand spectacle adding to the BGC skyline, and a place that offers a unique experience for families hunting for no less than a perfect home.
“We intend this space to be a destination for design inspiration,” he said. “We want to provide our clients with a unique design experience ultimately making the process of beautifying their home not only a convenient task but also a pleasurable one.”