By Bryan Manabat
bryan@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
GEMKELL Saipan, one of the island’s remaining luxury retail shops, will close its doors on Dec. 31, citing a continued decline in tourist arrivals and weakening demand for high‑end goods.
A staff member, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, said Gemkell’s operators are expected to arrive on Saipan by Jan. 5 to clear out the store and ship remaining products off‑island.
The closure follows the shutdown of T Galleria Saipan, which ended operations on April 30, 2025, after nearly five decades in Garapan. T Galleria Guam is also preparing to close, signaling a broader regional contraction in the luxury‑goods market.
In an interview Monday, Marianas Visitors Authority Managing Director Jamika Taijeron said the trend reflects shifting consumer behavior and the realities of the current tourism economy.
“I haven’t officially heard from them yet, but that reflects the reality of the situation,” Taijeron said. “It’s difficult to support luxury shops like that when the market doesn’t support it. We already saw that with the closure of T Galleria. It’s not just our destination — T Galleria on Guam is also closing, which may reflect a broader shift in consumer demand away from some luxury goods.”
Taijeron said the current environment should push businesses and policymakers to reassess what today’s travelers are looking for.
“It’s an opportunity and a necessity for everyone to identify consumer trends and adapt accordingly,” she said.
Gemkell’s exit leaves the island with fewer high‑end retail options as the CNMI continues efforts to rebuild its tourism base, diversify markets, and stabilize visitor arrivals following years of economic disruption in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.
Bryan Manabat was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College where he also studied criminal justice. He is the recipient of the NMI Humanities Award as an Outstanding Teacher (Non-Classroom) in 2013, and has worked for the CNMI Motheread/Fatheread Literacy Program as lead facilitator.
