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Jules Vasquez reporting
This is the moment shoppers have been waiting months for. The opening of the doors for the biggest, most decked out Department store in Belize's history.

Shoppers pushed in from the outside and within no time it seemed, the parking lot was full to capacity.

Khyla Banner, Mirab Employee
"Our biggest reward this morning was seeing our customers' faces. So when they walked in and we saw them and we saw how excited they were, that was our biggest reward."

Sheena Thomas, Mirab Employee
"Its total excitement. I mean we have been working long hours. We are here sometimes until 11-12 at night. So it has been totally excited and to see the guests faces as they walk in light up - wow!"

The three story commercial space has 100 thousand square feet of shopping area and while most of the shoppers we saw seemed to be just getting a feel for the place

Within minutes, folks had already snatched up products and were checking out.

Dr. Dionne Miranda, Public Relations - Mirab
"Getting it to this point, based on the fact that Belizeans deserved to have something in this country that they are not having to travel abroad. For the people who cannot and will never get a plane ticket - this is yours. This is your gift from Mirab."

Well, we don't know about all that - it is a business after all - and with all the overhead and the cost of investment associated with an expansion of this magnitude - one wonders whether the gift will be in a fair, consistent price point:

Jules Vasquez, reporter
"I'm certain it's the largest investment ever in a commercial space in Belize. What are you able to speak about the quantum of the investment and the scale of it?"

Dr. Dionne Miranda
"The only think I can tell you is that the investment, the detail to creating this store was worth it for the Belizean people."

Reporter
"Sometimes re-incorporating these types of investments are felt in the cost of goods. Will consumers be feeling a pinch in terms of the prices here?"

Dr. Dionne Miranda
"No. We do not see that they will be feeling any pinch. What we have done, however, we have also added in some new higher end because we realize that some people may want added - like Nicole Miller and Pioneer Woman and that sort of thing. Everybody can get a gift in here starting at say three dollars."

And what they're trying to capture are those shoppers who might take their dollars to Chetumal:

Dr. Dionne Miranda
"People travel across the border, not only for shopping. They go there for a trip for their family. So you can't take that away. Belizeans deserved time away. However, the struggle and the hassle of carrying big bags and all of that for minimal cost and having to pay duties and all of that - travel abroad, enjoy your trips, but come in and check the prices and shop and gain the value that we have and I can say, compare it, see it, because it is real. We are reasonable in our pricing. It's your choice, but we want to give you an amazing choice and an ability to have something worthy of making a choice against and I do believe that if you compare us with even of some of the larger establishments in those other countries, how do we compare?"

The store excels in style, setting and design, no argument, time will tell if after this first rush fades - whether Mirab can continue to fill these aisles year round:

Dr. Dionne Miranda
"So at the very end of the day I believe it's not only a win for the customers to have a great spot, but also for Belize to ensure that yes, money does stay at home and that we also still get the value and the joy of shopping within an environment that makes you happy."

Mirab says that following this opening it's going to be open until 7:00 at night to capture those who have to work during the day. In two weeks, the store will undergo another transformation as it puts up Christmas decorations.