Long line ups on Sunday surprised even the owners of La Sirena Multicentro on the east side of Santo Domingo. Opening last week on the east bank of the Ozama River, the large shopping center became the first to cater to the needs of the area’s more than one million people. Previously, residents had to cross over to the west side of Santo Domingo for shopping in similar establishments. El Siglo newspaper reports that the center had to restrict admission to 1,000 people per hour. This is an unprecedented opening of a shopping center. The 55 cashiers and 1,600 parking spots were not enough for the thousands who went shopping over the weekend in the new store. The store now can also serve those living in eastern cities such as Boca Chica, San Pedro de Macoris and La Romana. While the regular store hours are 8 am to 10 pm, in its first five days the center stayed open until 1 am.
