In 1986, right after the People Power Revolution, Bernie together with close friends from college and supported by his family who were then garments manufacturers, conceptualized, produced and marketed an initial product line of one-sized T-shirts with catchy prints–all targeted at the youth market. And so Penshoppe was born!
Today, the merchandise mix of Penshoppe, the anchor brand of Golden ABC Inc., a Cebu-based corporation where Bernie serves as the chief executive officer, boasts an extensive collection of casual wear that lives up to international standards of quality fabrics and exciting designs. It likewise features basic and fashionable accessories. It even offers body and bath personal care products. Currently, it has 80 company-owned boutiques and over 300 concessionaires in department stores and specialty shops nationwide.
Oxygen, the second brand, caters to the alternative, more fashion-forward young crowd. Within the Metro Manila area and other more progressive cities in the country, it has 30 shops and over a hundred in-store outlets.
"Our unflagging focus on the 13 to 20 age bracket market enables our trademarks to adopt to their evolving lifestyle and preferences," says Bernie.
Active as a member of the board of directors of Habitat for Humanity Philippines wherein he heads the Visayas Advisory and the Youth Build Councils among other civic and professional affiliations, Bernie has won various entrepreneur and retail awards. The citations include The Success Story of the Millennium-Entrepreneurship Category at the 16th Philippine Advertising Congress in 1999, the Agora Award for Outstanding Achievement in Entrepreneurship by the Philippine Marketing Association and the Outstanding Filipino Retailer for two consecutive years (2000 and 2001) by the Philippine Retailers Association. In December last year, the Philippine Junior Jaycees at the awarding ceremonies at Malacañang Palace chose him as one of The Outstanding Young Filipinos for 2001.
Raised in a deeply-rooted Catholic family, he considers himself an instrument to a cause that promotes better lives, as he pursues the growth of his business while he offers an alternative pop teen culture where clean fun, love for life and homegrown moral values are espoused.
Married to the former Alice Tio with whom he has three children, Bernie Liu is a firm believer of the dictum pray hard, work hard and play hard. He admires the Holy Father, Sun Tsu and Thomas Alba Edison as honest-to-goodness geniuses.
Late last week, I joined Bernie and his fascinating wife Alice for a leisurely lunch, where he said that the three traits he looks for in a friend are "honesty, sincerity and integrity," and admitted that the three things he would never do are "sing solo in front of a crowd, be the first in line at a buffet dinner party and answer a call on my mobile during Mass ."
For more confessions, specifically on travel, read on.
Philippine STAR: What do you remember most of your first trip abroad?
Bernie Liu: My first trip was to Sydney, Australia when I was in college. After all the pre-departure preparations, the anticipation and then flying for seven hours – this was my first long flight–I was tired, hungry and sleepy upon arrival at Sydney. But since I was traveling with my dad, the first order of the day was to buckle down to work, visiting clients, even before heading off to the hotel. At the end of what seemed like a long, long day, our host took us to a bar where we had beer and bar chow till nine. After that we finally settled down to dinner. I still don’t know how I lasted through the meal. I slept like a log that night.
What won’t you leave home without?
My holy packet containing a rosary, medallions and my scapular.
Name your favorite city abroad.
New York. On every visit that I make, the city continues to present something new to me. I like the brisk pace of life in Manhattan and its cosmopolitan feel. Oh yes, with my six-foot frame, I easily blend with the crowd unlike in the Philippines where I usually stand out.
What would you consider a must-do activity in every foreign city that you visit?
Visit the Catholic Church nearest my hotel to thank the Lord for my safe arrival and to entrust to Him the other members of my family left behind at home.
What is the best travel advice you can share?
Always have an extra set of clothes and your medicine kit in your carry-on bag. I have encountered occasions where the connecting flights have been cancelled and baggage retrieval was not possible. The extra set of clothes is always a welcome comfort when there is an unexpected overnight layover. My medicine kit has something for the common ailments–cough, colds, headache and stomach pains. And yes, it includes a complete dosage of antibiotics. Prescription medicine abroad requires you to make a special visit to an outpatient doctor, who charges you at least a hundred dollars for consultation.
Describe your most memorable trip.
My first trip to New York coincided with the Fourth of July weekend celebrations. Alice and I stood by the river and watched the unforgettable fireworks display put up by Macy’s.
What is the strangest thing you have done on a trip?
To line up at Manhattan’s Zegfield Theater at 12 midnight for tickets of Star Wars Episode I which opened in New York at one in the morning.
Favorite restaurant?
Tavern on the Green, a very romantic restaurant adorned with garden lights in the midst of New York’s Central Park where the food is great.
Favorite hotel?
Washington DC’s the Willard Hotel. I find it truly fascinating to sleep and eat in the same place where royalty, admirable heads of state and famous politicians have once been and continue to frequent to this very day.
Favorite building?
The building by the Bund in Shanghai, China. It highlights the contrast between the old structures and the new ones in Pudong, just across the river. It tells the story of the old and new Shanghai.
Favorite park?
The Central Park in Manhattan. The carriage ride into and around the park during spring is always special, which I share with my wife Alice. I have taken the kids on different occasions and they loved the experience. Being able to jog, roller blade, bike, picnic with family and friends and even walk our pets in a park – these are things we are missing out so much on.
Favorite store?
The Anthropology Store in SoHo. The mixture of merchandise and aroma, the visual merchandizing never fails to intrigue me every time I visit. I am always impressed whenever I go to any Nordstrom shop for their excellent customer service.
Name a movie you could see over and over again.
The American President, starring Michael Douglas and Annette Benning. I am a sucker for love stories. My other choice would be Notting Hill with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. My wife and I love the film so much that when we were in London we walked the streets of Notting Hill including the entire strip of Portobello Road.
Name a book you would recommend others to read.
Jesus in Blue Jeans by Laurie Beth Jones.
Who would you like to "bump into" –dead or alive – during your travels?
Blessed Jose Maria Escriva for spiritual advice and direction and perhaps an old childhood friend whom I have not seen in years.
Who is your ideal traveling companion?
My wife Alice of course (smiles). I also enjoy traveling with my three kids–Bryan, Brandon and Amanda. Their energy level is extremely high that by the end of the day I am completely exhausted.
What is the worst souvenir you have ever brought back from a trip?
A pair of bear carpet slippers that I bought upon my wife’s prodding.
Let’s fill in the blanks. Where in the world...only in the Philippines.
Where in the world will you find men relieving themselves in public against a wall?
Name a city you have never visited but would like to someday.
Barcelona, Spain. I heard from friends that the city offers a great mix of art, culture, shopping and nightlife.
Name a country you wish to explore.
China. More and more as we expand our business there, I would like to understand my roots and ancestry better. In every city that I have visited so far, I have noticed the great diversity in each one of them aside from being very distinct from one another. All these I wish to explore.
If you could reside anywhere in the world aside from the Philippines, where would it be?
It would be a choice between China and the United States of America.