Metro (department store)

Metro's founder Ong Tjoe Kim originally from Fujian, China, migrated to Indonesia when he was a teenager. He joined the Toko Dezon department store and worked his way up to a managerial position. In 1952, Ong decided to venture out on his own and eventually opened the first Metro store in 1953 in Surabaya, Indonesia. Ong chose the name, Metro, after his love for movies made by film studio, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Metro opened its first Singapore-based outlet in 1957, at the site that is now the Singapore Treasury Building, after Ong migrated from Indonesia to Singapore, pitching its business at the wealthy housewives of Indonesia and Singapore.[1][2]

A department store was opened in Hong Kong in 1960.[3] The first Metro branch under the name of Metrotex opened in Liat Towers on Orchard Road in 1965, being one of the first Singapore department stores to carry imported designer goods.[1][4] The branch was renamed Metro Orchard when it moved into the Holiday Inn Shopping Complex on Scotts Road in 1973.[2] Metro continued to expand and set up more branches including Metro Supreme in 1971, Metro Golden Mile in 1974, Metro Grand in Lucky Plaza in 1978 and Metro Scotts and Metro Far East in 1983.[4] Other than carrying in overseas label, Metro delved into developing Singapore's private label in fashion merchandise.[4]

In January 2012, Metro Department Store was brought back to Surabaya, Indonesia, where it was opened in Ciputra World Surabaya, after 60 years of founding.

Metro Pte Ltd was publicly listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange in 1973 as Metro Holdings Limited.[1][2][5][6]

As the company started to expand, Metro Holdings began to look towards diversifying its interests and expanding beyond retailing. In 1977, the company acquired Orchard Square Development Corporation Private Limited, the joint developer for Ngee Ann City and set up Metrobilt Pte Ltd, expanding its business into construction and building.[2][7] In the same year, the company opened Futaba Bakery in the supermarket of Metro Golden Mile in a joint venture with Futaba Bakery Co Ltd, Japan.[8] The company continued to diversify its business by buying into Datalogue (S) Pte Ltd, a company dealing in computer software.[9] Metro Holdings also ventured into credit leasing business when it bought into Trans-Pacific Credit Pte Ltd in 1982.[10] Metro Holdings also co-founded luxury brand retailer chain, The Hour Glass in 1979.[11] The company also started a subsidiary company, Transmarco in 1978 as a distribution marketing company for luxury brands.[2]

The Metro group's key businesses today focuses primarily on property investments in China, Japan and UK and retail properties in China and Indonesia.[11][12]

The department stores with more than 1,000,000 square feet (93,000 m²) of retail space combined offers merchandise from international labels to famous local brands. It opened its first branch at Pondok Indah Mall in 1990, followed by Plaza Senayan in 1996. Metro expands in 2001-2002 as they opened two new branches at Bandung Supermal (now Trans Studio Mall) & Mal Taman Anggrek respectively. From 2010 to 2012, Metro opened 4 new branches respectively: Makassar's Trans Studio Mall in 2010, Surabaya's Ciputra World in 2011, Jakarta's Gandaria City in 2012, and Solo's The Park Mall in 2013. In 2017, Metro finally expands after 4 years hiatus, opening a new branch in Puri Indah Mall and Grand Kawanua Manado. In 2019, Metro opened its sixth Jakarta store in Trans Studio Mall Cibubur.[25]

Metro Pacific Place, opened in 2008, is closed in 2017. Used to be called as M Pacific Place in 2008 before converted to Metro in 2009, this location is relocated to the Puri Indah Mall branch in 2017, based on inside sources. Meanwhile, in 2018, Metro downsized its Plaza Senayan store from four floors to two floors,[26] followed by its branch at Mal Taman Anggrek in July 2019, downsized from three floors to two floors. At the same year, Grand Kawanua Citywalk closed for reconception, forcing Metro to temporarily close.[27]

As of 2019, with exception of Bandung and Surabaya stores which are three-stories high, all Metro stores in Indonesia are two-stories high.

The chain's CEO and President Christine Barki has been featured in the 100 Next-Era CEOs in Asia 2011 by Japan Times.[28]

CT Corp owned the franchise alongside Metro Singapore, with CT being the largest shareholder. The franchise was used to be owned by Rajawali Corporation.