Nakheel inks retail deal with Al Tayer Group for Al Khail Avenue

Dubai-based Nakheel has signed an agreement with Al Tayer Group to establish more retail brands at Al Khail Avenue, the developer’s mall in Jumeirah Village.

Under the deal, Al Tayer Group will bring brands such as Gap, Mamas & Papas, Armani Exchange, Banana Republic, Areej, Caffe Nero, and Ocean Basket to Al Khail Avenue, the developer said said. Overall Al Tayer Group stores will occupy more than 54,000 square feet at the new mall.

Al Khail Avenue is being constructed alongside Dubai’s Al Khail Road on the eastern edge of Nakheel’s Jumeirah Village Triangle community.

The mall will have 1.2 million square feet of retail space with 350 shops, a multi-screen cinema, cafes and a multi-storey car park with 4,400 spaces.

Al Khail Avenue is scheduled to open in 2018.

Almost 60 per cent of the mall’s retail space has been booked with more deals being finalised for tenants, Nakheel said.

In May, Nakheel said that it signed a deal with retailer Landmark Group for about 25 outlets in Al Khail Avenue. Landmark Group will bring in brands such as Home Centre, Centrepoint, Emax, New Look, Reiss, Fun City, Shoexpress, SportsOne and Candelite.

Other confirmed tenants for Al Khail Avenue include a 14-screen movie complex from Reel Cinemas and supermarket chain Waitrose.

Nakheel’s retail division director Omar Khoory said that the mall will serve residential communities in the Jumeirah Village and Jumeirah Park developments.

Government-owned Nakheel, like other developers, is diversifying into retail to complement its residential developments and maintain demand for its properties.

The firm’s retail portfolio includes 10 new large-scale retail developments and a number of smaller community centres close to its residential projects.

In total, the company has over 11 million square feet of leasable retail space in the pipeline, in addition to the 2.5 million already in operation at its Dragon Mart and Ibn Battuta Mall developments.