Page 12 - May2021

middle east
middle east

EmAAR ENTERTAINmENT pLANS $270m REEL

cINEmAS ROLL-OUT IN SAUdI ARAbIA

Emaar Entertainment UAE and Saudi-based GOSI
Investment Ventures have announced a partnership to
expand the Reel Cinemas brand in Saudi Arabia.
The announcement comes as the General Authority
for Audi-Visual Media delivered the 11th licence to
Emaar Entertainment Saudi to operate Reel Cinemas
in the Kingdom. The first of these venues will open in
Riyadh in December.
Ahmad Matrooshi, Executive Board Member of Emaar
Properties said: We are proud to bring a world-class
entertainment experience to Riyadh with our first
Reel Cinemas location which will open in 2021. We are
confident that our partnership with GOSI Investment
Ventures will provide our guests with innovative cinema
formats tailored for every taste, a testament to Reel
Cinemas’ brand ethos.”

SAHARA cENTRE, A 350+ STORE RETAIL dESTINATION LOcATEd ON THE ROAd bETWEEN dUbAI ANd SHARJAH, HAS ANNOUNcEd THAT ITS NEW EXTENSION IS ScHEdULEd TO OpEN
bY THE ENd OF JUNE. THE NEW EXTENSION, WHIcH IS LOcATEd IN THE WEST WING OF THE mALL, WILL INcLUdE NEW RETAIL STORES, LEISURE ANd dINING OpTIONS INcLUdING A
LANdScApEd OUTdOOR AREA. THE EXTENSION WILL FEATURE LOcAL ANd INTERNATIONAL FASHION ANd LIFESTYLE bRANdS INLcUdING Lc WAIKIKI, cENTREpOINT, ccc, FOREVER 21,
cOTTON ON. TYpO, cALLIOpE, YAmAmAY, LA VIE EN ROSE, mAX FASHION, SHOE EXpRESS, HUmmER, dWELL, dUNE, HEALTHY SpORTS, cK, RITUALS, ApRIL, TERRANOVA ANd SmYK.

NEW IKEA STORE ON KAmAL OSmAN JAmJOOm
TRAcK FOR OmAN AcQUIRES NEW STORES

Construction of one of the largest IKEA stores in the Middle East Kamal Osman Jamjoom Group LLC (KOJ) has announced that
is on schedule and is expected to be completed by the first quarter it has acquired The Body Shop Stores, the exclusive distributors
of 2022. The Swedish furniture giant will open next year at Oman of The Body Shop and operators of The Body Shop retail stores
Avenues Mall amid a four-phase transformation plan. within the UAE. The acquisition will allow KOJ to extend its
Driving positive changes to host IKEA, new parking spaces are successful The Body Shop business beyond its already-established
being created at Oman Avenues Mall to help cope with additional Western Saudi Arabia territory.
footfalls. While the basement parking is all set to open after a major “With this expansion into the UAE, we are thrilled to offer
revamp allowing for larger capacity parking, an additional parking in The Body Shop products to a broader customer base across the
the basement is under development. GCC, and to reinforce our successful partnership with The Body
Plans to augment the road network around the mall are also Shop International,” said Hisham Al Amoudi, Group CEO of KOJ.
progressing to make the shopping experience better. The road “The Body Shop has enjoyed a wonderful partnership with
connections and development are being fulfilled by Al Taher Group, KOJ for 35 years and I’m confident that this relationship will
the developers of Oman Avenues Mall. go from strength to strength as we embark on the next stage
In line with the guidance of Oman’s Supreme Committee, the mall of our journey together. KOJ has a deep understanding of The
has also developed a comprehensive set of coronavirus protocols Body Shop brand and a close alignment with our values and
to be implemented by shoppers, retailers, employees and all parties sense of purpose,” explains David Boynton, the CEO of The Body
related to the mall operations. Shop International.
12 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL MAY 2021