The well-known franchise is expected to open here late next year, according to the Hard Rock website, though there is a significant asterisk next to the date given (September 2009), meaning it could happen any time.

Hard Rock Café was founded in 1971 in London and currently has over 140 outlets located in 36 countries, including several in the GCC. It is yet unclear where Hard Rock Cafe - Doha will be located but is likely to be set up the outlet in the West Bay area, where many hotels are located or about to come up. The Hard Rock Café will be a standalone facility and not part of any hotel.

It also remains to be seen whether alcohol will be served as right now, barring hotels, liquor is not served anywhere else in the country. It also remains to be seen whether the outlet will have live music, a major attraction for those visiting Hard Rock cafes around the world. Hard Rock franchises have a healthy stock of rock and roll memorabilia on display, allowing customers to really soak in a music-oriented ambience.

Even if Doha does not get memorabilia of its own, it's a common practice for Hard Rock Cafes to lend their memorabilia to other outlets.

People here then can soon look forward to original Eric Clapton or Pete Townsend electric guitars. In the case of the latter, a trademark smashed-up version could well end up here. Merchandising is a big money-spinner for Hard Rock Cafes throughout the world.

T-shirts are the most commonly seen item bearing the classic company logo along with the location of the specific outlet underneath, Hard Rock Cafe - Doha, would be an example of the future.

Items like pins, glassware and jackets are among the many other items available at hard Rock Cafes throughout the world.

© The Peninsula 2008

 

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