Our monthly mall-ology series visits Abu Dhabi’s Marina Mall and finds that amid increasing competition, it has big plans for growth and a layout scheme that sets it apart from most other UAE malls.
A shopper speaks
"It's lovely, clean and bright but I can get that in Westfield, Shepherd's Bush in London. Personally I would prefer something that is evocative of Arabia." – Sheila, a cruise ship visitor who had been dropped at the mall for the afternoon.
What are the selling points?
Marina Mall has been open since 2001 and received 16 million visitors last year. It has cemented its place as a destination for residents and tourists, sitting on the south end of the Corniche overlooking the Gulf and looking back at the capital’s skyline. It has created a boulevard retail experience by eschewing the conventional “cluster” of similar shops that most of the UAE’s malls favour, allowing for a more natural mix with different stores from retail categories sitting alongside each other. It has 130,000 square metres of gross leasable area (GLA) with about 350 shops. It has a 15,000-year-old woolly mammoth skeleton that, while not being particularly woolly any more, makes any visit worthwhile.
For a landmark look no further than the Marina Eye, Abu Dhabi’s one and only Ferris wheel. It has 42 air-conditioned cabins, one of which, of course, is VIP and fully equipped with an LED TV – just in case you get bored of the view – leather seats, a refrigerator and telephone. There is also a Mercedes showroom inside the mall, so if you’ve forgotten to pick up a pint of milk from Carrefour you can bring it home in a Mercedes AMG-GT for Dh575,000.
Tracking footfall
While Marina Mall has worked to become a destination for tourists with coaches arriving from hotels and the cruise terminal, it is facing increasing competition from the capital’s developing residential spaces.
The mall has a canopied canvas roof at its centre that allows natural light to flood in and that evokes a big top, with a central tower rising 128 metres into the sky. The mall is spread over five floors that include a huge Carrefour in the basement, a nine-screen cinema, many attractions for children such as the trampoline site Bounce, a bowling alley and a food court on the first floor that perhaps needs refreshing.
The mall has cleverly allowed its many food and beverage (F&B) outlets to spill into the concourses, giving a European street feel to many of its thoroughfares and bringing life and chatter to the space.
The glass-sided lift that takes customers to the top of the Marina Tower, 30 storeys high, allows a seagull’s view of the city that is something to behold. However, the overpriced cafe experience at the pinnacle brings one back down to earth with a bump.
The outlook
Marina Mall will nearly double in size by 2020 with its owner, National Investment Corp, investing Dh3 billion to add 120,000 sq metres of GLA. It currently has 11 per cent of its floor space given over to F&B and is looking to increase that to 13 per cent by the end of the year. It has two restaurants that are unique to the capital – Joe’s Crab Shack and Five Guys – and is looking to add further unique offerings.
The mall’s management is in talks with a Japanese firm to provide a new concept at the top of Marina Tower that “will be the talk of the town in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.”
The recent slowdown in retail has hit the mall, with some retailers opening and closing quickly.
There will also be two large malls opening on Al Maryah Island and Al Reem Island next year. Marina Mall is 95 per cent filled but there are still some noticeable gaps. However, the mall believes its location, its relationships with retailers and the business cycle give it an edge to deliver on its huge expansion.
“We have a medium to long-term vision, as do most of our retailers,” said Jihad Dirani, the head of leasing and acting general manager for Marina Mall. “We have had a tough year and there will be tougher times ahead, but the outlook is extremely positive. You have to be aggressive and we have had a lot of interest from retailers to fill the new space. We will be breaking ground in the next six months on the expansion and delivering a new state-of-the-art food court. April will see a new Family Entertainment Centre and Magic Planet, which will keep the mall evolving and relevant.”
Any hidden gems?
I didn’t think I was a food fashionista … but I am. It’s all because of the Five Guys burger shop, new to Marina Mall. I had heard friends and colleagues talk about it. I had a cheeseburger with all the trimmings, and the burger was so succulent that I almost wish I had done without the trimmings. Burgers have become a talking point and this place offers 250,000 combinations when all the sauces and toppings are taken into account.
In conclusion
Marina Mall has a dedicated clientele and its placement on the Corniche means its place on the bucket list of cruise visitors is fairly certain. It is looking to address its shortcomings, adding new concepts and more entertainment while doubling the size of its offering. The new malls in the city will offer serious competition, but competition adds to a customer’s experience so Abu Dhabi mall rats are about to be very well catered for.
ascott@thenational.ae
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