Dubai has recently seen the inauguration of a new community mall at Damac Hills 1, marking another milestone in the city’s retail landscape. The property developer behind this venture Damac Group has announced plans to construct approximately six more shopping centres across the United Arab Emirates.
The founder and chairman of Damac, Hussain Sajwani, revealed in an interview with Khaleej Times that the company’s focus is on community malls rather than large-scale ones. Following the opening of their first mall in Damac Hills 2, the second one in Damac Hills 1 is now operational. Future plans include similar malls in Lagoons, contributing to a total of half a dozen malls in the UAE.
The newly opened Damac Hills 1 mall spans 110,000 square feet and offers a diverse range of retail, hospitality, leisure, and entertainment options. It houses both international and local brands across various categories, including 30 retail stores and 10 food and beverage outlets. The mall is expected to attract around 1.3 million visitors annually.
In addition to retail spaces, the mall also features a 28,000 square-foot Spinneys supermarket, a Starbucks, Papa John’s, Vietnamese Foodies, American Wax, Al Jaber Opticals, Al Ain Pharmacy, and a Lingo Play Area for children. A 9,000-square-foot gym and an 8,000-square-foot medical facility are also set to open soon.
Amira Sajwani, managing director for sales and development at Damac Properties, emphasized that the tenant mix was carefully curated to align with the preferences of the local community. She stated that Damac is committed to improving the quality of life for residents by transforming communities into dynamic spaces offering unmatched convenience and satisfaction.
The upcoming six malls are expected to create hundreds, if not thousands, of new jobs in the retail sector. This expansion comes at a time when the UAE’s retail sector is witnessing substantial recovery in the post-pandemic period, bolstered by an increased flow of foreign tourists and population growth due to new job opportunities. These factors have led to a significant increase in consumer spending in the country.
Since its inception in 2002, Damac Group has delivered approximately 46,000 homes, collaborating with renowned fashion and lifestyle brands such as Versace, Cavalli, Just Cavalli, de GRISOGONO, Zuhair Murad, Paramount Hotels & Resorts, Rotana, and Radisson Hotel Group. The group’s latest venture into community malls further solidifies its commitment to enhancing lifestyle offerings in the UAE.