Enough mall space for Al Ain residents to shop until they drop

For almost a decade, residents and visitors to Al Ain had to do something almost unthinkable to people living in some other parts of the UAE.

For just under a decade, residents and visitors to Al Ain had to do the unthinkable for people living in some parts of the UAE. They had to make do with just two malls.

But when Wahat Hili Mall opens, it will be the third shopping centre to be completed in recent months.

After Al Jimi Mall and Al Ain Mall opened in late 2001, "the next mall to open ... was Bawadi Mall in 2009," said Wahat Hili Mall's general manager, Mohamad El Sabawi.

"After Bawadi, Al Foah Mall opened. Then Boutik Mall [was completed, but not fully opened] about two months ago."

Construction was recently completed on a small community mall in the Hili Industrial Area, which has not opened, or even been named.

And work to build Barari Mall, another small community mall in the city, is continuing.

"There wasn't much demand for proper retail offerings before. With a steady population I think Al Jimi Mall and Al Ain Mall were enough to cater to the needs of the local community. Whereas now with the expansion of Al Ain horizontally and other new suburbs that are being added to Al Ain and other residential developments taking place I believe this is why they are building many more malls."

But enough is enough, according to Mr El Sabawi.

"The GLA [gross leasable area] is quite sufficient now to cater to the needs of those residents," he said.