Riyadh: Retail major Lulu's expansion drive reached the Saudi kingdom's capital as the city welcomed its biggest department store taking the total store count to 83.
The new lifestyle shopping destination "Lulu Shopping" spread over 100,000 sq ft was inaugurated by prominent Saudi businessman General Saleh Al Habdan in Riyadh.
The inaugural function was attended by Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Talmiz Ahmad, Lulu Group Managing Director Yusuffali M A, CEO Saifee Rupawala, senior government officials, Shaikhs and prominent businessmen. A large number of expatriates along with locals were also present.
The sprawling shopping centre has a large area dedicated to electronics, IT products, home appliances, sports, stationery, furnishings, crystals, footwear, health and beauty, cosmetics and perfumes, linen, watches and fashion brands for ladies, gents and kids.
The store has more than 20 cash counters for hassle free shopping with ample car parking facilities. The new Lulu shopping centre is located in Rabwa, exit 14 of Omar Bin Abdul Aziz road.
Yusuffali M A said that this was their second Lulu store in the Kingdom after Al Khobar and described the country as crucial to its expansion drive outside of the UAE, as its economy is mammoth-sized with an affluent and growing population.
"We have to expand aggressively here, as the oil rich nation is investing in its industries that mean more jobs and business," Yusuffali MA said.
Four more hypermarkets would be ready in the Kingdom by the end of this year, he added.
The group has 32 percent market share, the largest in the Middle East, according to the London-based market research firm GMRC.
"Our immediate plans include the upcoming Mushrif Mall or the Central Fish Market project in Abu Dhabi, besides a shopping mall in Al Ain and RAK in the United Arab Emirates," the managing director said.
The new expansion includes India, where the biggest shopping mall in the country is being built in Cochin in the southern state of Kerala.
In North Africa's largest economy of Egypt, the first outlet would be rolled-out to customers by mid-2010.
© The Peninsula 2010
