Shopping malls have thrived in the Eastern Province. According to a survey conducted by SAUDI COMMERCE & Economic Review, at least 9 shopping malls have been developed in the region in recent years. These include Marina Mall, Khobar Venicia Center, Shatea Mall, Al Othaim Mall, Al Ehsa Mall, Fouad Center, Mall of Dahran, Ibn Khaldoon Plaza and Khobar Corniche Mall. The survey also found that property developers have planned to build a number of new malls which are expected to come up in near future.
In addition, several malls have undertaken massive expansion plans. For instance, the Al Rashid Mall will expand by three-fold while the Mall of Dhahran will double its size shortly.
There are also a number of old malls which have long been operating in the region. These include Al Waha Mall, Al Khobar Mall, Al Sharqia Mall, Alissa Souk, Al Jumah Center, Al Hayat Plaza, City Center, Al Johara Market and Fanateer Mall in Jubail.
Kingdom's other regions are also experiencing a boom in shopping malls. According to the Middle East Council of Shopping Centers (MECSC) Directory, the total number of shopping malls in Saudi Arabia will reach nearly 100 with in a next few years. The Saudi Commerce have compiled brief profiles of major shopping malls operating in the region .
Marina Mall: The newly built Dammam Marina Mall is considered to be the most modern shopping center in the city. It is located at the Dammam Corniche facing the Arabian Gulf. It was build at a cost of SR 200 million over an area of 50,000 square meters.
"Our competitive advantage over other shopping centers at the city is our attractive location," said Mr Abdulmohsen K. AI-Mogren, Chairman of the Abdulmohsen K. Al-Mogren and Brothers Group, which owns the Marina Mall.
The external and internal design of the two-story Marina Mall has been drawn according to the international specifications. In addition, it has installed a natural lighting system which allows the sun light to enter up to the ground floor through the glassmade domes. The Mall's most exciting spot is its large size food court where people could eat and simultaneously enjoy panoramic view of the Arabian Gulf. The Mall has over 25 restaurants offering a variety of international cuisines. Another attraction of the Mall is its gold corner which comprises
more than 20 gold and jewelry shops. The Marina Mall has a 3,000-sq meter "Entertainment City" which is equipped with exhilarating rides and games for children. It has around 250 retail outlets including a number of international brands.
Khoabr Venicia Center: Abdulmohsen Group is developing another shopping mall, Khobar Venicia Center at Al Khobar. It is located by the side of the Dhahran Road near Al Rashid Commercial Center. The 50,000-sq meter Venicia Center being built at a cost of SR 100 million will be opened by the end of 2006, said Mr Al Mogren. The distinguished features of this Center is that its design and internal decorations have been planned based on Arabian traditions. It will accommodate over 300 shops, a large size food court and an entertainment center called "RamRoma".
Abdulmohsen Group has so far built 10 shopping malls with an estimated investment of SR 1.5 billion throughout the Kingdom. "Our investments in building shopping malls have been encouraged by continuous growth of our economy and support and cooperation from the government," said Mr. Al Mogren. The company's other malls which all are locted in Riyadh include Olaya Mall, Badiaah-I, Badiaah-II, Venicia Center, City Mall, Grand Mall, Al Sahafa Gallery and Al Madina Gallery.
Habib Group Develops Shatea Mall in Dammam
Saleh Al Habib Group, a Riyadhbased real state development company, has built a new shopping complex, Al Shatea Mall, in Dammam. It is located in the Corniche area over an area of nearly 30,000 sq meters. It is a 3- story shopping center which has accommodated over 200 retail outlets of local and internal brands. The main attraction of the Shatea Mall is its 4,600-sq meter ice skating established in the 3rd floor, said Mr Md. Bal-Obaid, General manager of the Mall. " Our ice skating attracts a big crowd every day," he added. The Shatea Mall is the first mall in the Eastern Province whose rooftop is covered by four giant tents. It has a underground car parking area which accommodates nearly 500 cars.
Saleh Al Habib Group is one of the leading developers of shopping malls in the Kingdom. The company currently manages and operates a number of malls in various parts of the country.
Its first shopping complex is Al Negoud Mall which was built in Riyadh in 1982 when the capital city had only a few shopping centers. It is a 10,600- sq meter shopping mall with a large area for car parking. A number of international brands made their debut in Saudi Arabia through opening their retail outlets in the Al Negoud Mall , said Mr Bal-Obaid. The Group's another major shopping complex developed in Riyadh is Royal Mall.
Al Othaim to Build 5 New Malls
The Riyadh-based Al Othaim Real Estate Investment & Dev. Co (ORIDCO), a subsidiary of the Al Othaim Holding Company, is developing at least five new shopping malls in the Kingdom including two in the Eastern Province. ORDICO has a plan to double the number of its shopping malls with in the next few years, disclosed Mr Mohammad Ali Al Mohanna,
Regional Manager of the company.
Dammam Al Othaim Mall: ORDICO's Al Othaim Mall in Dammam is expected to open shortly, said Mr Mohanna. It is located at the intersection of the Prince Mohamed Bin Fahd Road, Al Khansa Road, King Fahd Road and Al Jubail-Dhahran Road. It will have more than 500 retail outlets spreading over a total area of 128,915sq meters. Its spacious parking lot is designed to accommodate over 3,000 cars.
Al Ehsa Mall: Al Othaim's another shopping complex in the Eastern Province is Al Ehsa Mall. It is located beside Dhahran Road, Al Gurfah Al Tijariyah Road, King Fahad Road and King Soud Road. It covers an area of 52,013 sq meters which will accommodate over 450 shops of local and international brands. The mall is expected to open soon, said Mr Al Mohanna.
ORDICO will open another shopping complex, Khurais Mall, in Riyadh at the end of this year. It is located by the side of Khurais Road and East Ring Road. Covering an area of 53,000 sq meters, the Khurais Mall will offer spaces for around 260 retail shops. In addition, it will have modern facilities for children's entertainment.
The company has also planned to expand its Buraidah Mall and Al Rabwa Mall in Riyadh. Buraidah Mall will be expanded to over 46,844 sq meters by early next year. After the completion of the expansion work, the total tenants of this mall is expected to exceed 370. ARDICO will increase the total area of the Rabwa Mall to over 76,231 sq meters. Work on extension of the mall is expected to be completed next year. It will accommodate a total of 684 retail shops.
Fawaz Al Hokair Real Estate: Saudi Arabia's Leading Mall Developer
Arabian Centres Real Estate (ACRE), a subsidiary of the Fawaz Al Hokair Group, has developed at least three shopping malls in the Eastern Province. These include Mall of Dhahran, Ibn Khaldoun Plaza and Al Khobar Corniche Mall. The company is currently developing one of the largest shopping complexes in Saudi Arabia, the Mall of Arabia in Jeddah.
ACRE is the largest developer of shopping malls in the Kingdom. The company currently owns and operates 11 shopping complexes. It has a massive expansion plan for the next 5 years.
Mall of Dhahran: It is the largest shopping complex developed so far by ACRE. Its huge expansion has begun and is designed to double the size of the existing 110,000-sq meter in phase-II. Extensive planning for a swift development is completed, in line with the 12 month build of phase- 1 of the Mall of Dhahran project.
Mall of Dhahran will be the largest single story shopping mall in the Middle East at 220,000sqm of built up area and approximately 160,000 of Interior of the Mall of Dhahran GLA. The Mall will accommodate a total of over 400 stores, with a strong leaning towards international fashion, home accessories and casual dining.
It is expected to attract more than 350,000 visitors per week.
The main attraction in the extension will be the presence of the 'KIKA' Furniture and 'Fitness First', a very experienced health & fitness company.
Mall of Dhahran will be the first mall in the Kingdom which will have a large scale health & fitness club and a furniture business.
KIKA Furniture: It is an Austrian-based furniture company. Its store at the Mall of Dhahran will cover an area of around 24,000sq meters offering an array of more than 50,000 products. KIKA sells affordable fashion driven quality furniture and home furnishing in an integrated concept that provides decorating suggestions.
It is dedicated to offering new designs and top quality services in order to differentiate itself from the competition.
KIKA offers a complete range of services: planning, home delivery, assembly, water & electrical installations, disposal of old furniture, kitchen drawings by software, financing etc.
Fitness First: The UK-based Fitness First will occupy over 4,000 sq meters at the Mall, having separate facilities for both men and women. It currently operates in over 18 countries with over 460 clubs comprising more than 1.4 million members. It offers world class facilities at an affordable price.
Fitness First has a large studio specially designed for all favorite classes such as BodyPump and BodyJam. There is also a dedicated Mind and Body studio for Yoga and a signature Cosmic Cycling Room.
Fitness First members are able to participate in unlimited classes for free. A Fitness First member can use any Fitness First club at home or abroad.
The Mall of Dhahran is located at a prominent intersection between Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Road & King Saud Road. This prominent location offers convenient and un-interrupted access from all key approaches. It attracts customers from Dhahran, Dammam, Khobar and Bahrain.
Many international brands have opened their stores in the Mall of Dhahran. The Fawaz Al Hokair Retail portfolio, spanning over 50 international fashion franchises like Zara, Massimo Dutti, Marks & Spencer, Adams, Monsoon, Nine West, Promod, and La Senza are present there. Other key retailers which have stores in the Mall include Debenhams, MANGO, Okaidi and City Plaza.
Geant Casino Hypermarket, value retailer and primary anchor, is a huge attraction in the Mall. It covers over 24,000 sq meters. Geant, the French hypermarket chain of the Casino Group, is recognized as one of the leading food groups in France.
In addition to 200 stores, the mall features the largest food & entertainment facilities of any mall in Saudi Arabia. The 15,000-sq meter zone consists of 26 food-outlets with the latest fast-food offerings, an entertainment area featuring an indoor ice rink and numerous rides for children of all ages.
IBN Khaldoun Plaza: Ibn Khaldoun Plaza built by the Olayan Real Estate, (the fashion mall is operated by ACRE) is located in Dammam.
The two-story mall covers an area of over 28,800 sq meters. It has offered spaces to around 80 retail outlets, in addition to a number of restaurants. The mall has a large size parking area which accommodates over 600 cars.
Khobar Corniche Mall: It is another shopping complex developed by ACRE in the region. It is a two-story mall built on a land area of 8,744 sq meters. It has offered spaces to around 20 selective retailers, including Zara, Massimo Dutti, Aldo, Promod and Vero Moda.
Mall of Arabia: The two-story 260,000-sq meter mall is expected to open by early 2008. It will rent out spaces to over 400 stores of national and international brands and be anchored by the countries primary retailers including Al Hokair Retail.
Anchors will include Geant, Zara, Best Electronics and Kika over the three phase project. The three phases will create Saudi Arabia's foremost retail development, both in size and content, incorporating Big Box retail, Medical clinics, office facilities and hotel.
ACRE recently developed new properties, Aziz Mall in Jeddah. Covering an area of over 90,000 sq meters, the two-story mall houses over 350 retail outlets and a hypermarket.
The large size food court of the mall is anchored by a family entertainment centre and a diverse selection of coffee shops, including Seattle's Best and Starbucks. The company's other shopping malls are: Sahara Plaza, Khurais Plaza, and Salaam Mall in Riyadh and Al Nakheel Plaza in Buraidah.
Al Rashid, Largest Shopping Mall in Kingdom
The Al Rashid Trading and Contracting Company (RTCC) which owns the Al Rashid Mall at Al Khobar has embarked on a massive expansion plan to treble the size of its property to around 400,000 sq meters making it the largest shopping complex in the Kingdom. The extension comprises three buildings, each one will house a shopping mall, a hypermarket and a parking lot. All these three buildings will be inter-connected by a bridge.
The mall extension will open to the public by the end of 2006, said Mr Nazar Ali Bakhurji, Marketing Manager of the Mall. It is a 50,000-sq meter shopping complex and is connected to the existing mall. It will offer outlets to more than 200 local and international brands including Paris Gallery, Marina's Furniture and other international brands. It will have an exciting water fountain which will be surrounded by a number of restaurants in the ground floor. It will also have a large size family entertainment center covering an area of over 6,000 sq meters.
The hypermarket building will accommodate the French hypermarket chain, Carrefour, which is one of the world's largest retailers offering more than 50,000 products under one roof. Carrefour stores are well known for its policy of selling products in very competitive prices. There will be more than 100 furnished apartments in the hypermarket building. The building which is devoted to only car parking will accommodate around 2,500 cars.
The existing Al Rashid Mall is truly an internal standard shopping complex in the Eastern Province. It was built in 1995 on an area of over 130,000 sq meters. It currently has 6 department stores and more than 400 retail outlets of local and international brands. The Al Rashid Mall is not only a shopping complex, but also a place for entertainment, observed Mr. Bakhurji. It has a fun city, a large size food court, a spectacular waterfall and a large number of fancy restaurants.
Most importantly, the mall has a spacious parking lot for over 3,000 cars.
Fouad Center: It is a 24,00-sq meter mall developed by the Abdulla Fouad Group at Al-Khobar Corniche. It is a unique shopping complex where shoppers can enjoy a different shopping experience with the Group's Toy Town located at the Center. The Toy Town offers a wide range of amusement rides including thrilling rides, electronic videos and arcades, laser adventures, simulated rides, kiddie rides and redemption & prize games.
The toy section provides customers with a wide selection of internationally recognized toys brands like; Mattel, Fisher, Price, Little Tikes and Lego.
Alissa Souk: This shopping complex was built by the Abdullatif Ali Al Issa Group at the hart of Al Khobar.
It is 2,784-sq meter Souk offering spaces to nearly 50 retailers including Adidas, Bossini, Geordano, Reebok, Hanes, Swatch, Rado, Kodak,Rayban, Attitude, Dr. Martin, Sebago and Lotto. The main attraction of the mall is its Billiards and Dart Game facility on the first floor.
Billiards tournaments are being organized on a regular basis here. The Souk has bagged a trophy from the Saudi Billiards Sports Organizers for organizing the Kingdom's first billiard tournament.
Savola Group to Develop 4 Major Shopping Centers
The Jeddah-based Savola Group is planning to build 4 major shopping malls throughout the Kingdom. These shopping centers will cover a total area of over 550,000 square meters and will be built at prime locations in Riyadh, Jeddah and Makkah. They will cost approximately SR 800 million, according to the Middle East Council of Shopping Centers (MECSC). The first mall will be in Riyadh.
Named Aziziya Mall, the center is situated beside Al Olayya and King Fahd streets. Covering a total of 136,000 square meters, it will cost SR180 million. It will have a parking lot for over 2,200 vehicles.
Another Savola property called Eastern Ring Mall will be built in Riyadh. It is expected to cost SR 235 million. With a parking facility for over 4,500 cars, the entire project will cover around 300,000 square meters.
Savola Group will develop a property, Roshan Mall, in Jeddah. It will be located near Globe Square over an area of 90,000 square meters. Its parking area will accommodate over 1600 vehicles. The Group will build Al Salam Mall in Makkah. Located on the outskirts of the city, the project will cost SR 120 million. It covers over 52,000 square meters.
By Shamsul Huda
© Saudi Commerce and Economic Review 2006
