From ArabianBusiness.com, 12 May '09. The closure of the Bin Hendi annexe at the Deira City Center mall isn't a big surprise is it? Don't know about you, but I've walked through that section of the mall many times simply because its a good way to get to and from the carpark. I doubt that I've ever seen a single customer in any of the shops. Why would a shopper looking for "luxury brands" go to Deira when everything they're looking for is at BurJuman? Having read the article I'm also baffled that anyone would buy from a clothes shop called "Phat Farm."
In the absence of any official comment, we must rely on the thoughts of the waitress at Noodle Hut but that's no criticism, as the waitress probably knows more than management about what's really happening.
Last thought: Maybe Toyota could move back into the space at DCC........
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Luxury brand owner BinHendi Enterprises is in talks with the owners of Deira City Centre about the future of its self-named avenue, which makes up a significant proportion of the shopping mall, Arabian Business can reveal.
Visiting the mall on Tuesday Arabian Business discovered all shops in the luxury BinHendi Avenue had been closed, with only Noodle House and Cafe Di Roma open for business.
According to a waitress at Noodle House the two dozen or so shops had been closed for two weeks, but both restaurants had no plans to shut, she added.
A spokesperson for the Majid Al Futtaim Group, owner of Deira City Centre, confirmed on Tuesday that BinHendi was in discussions with the group for its future leasing plans of the avenue.
“Negotiations are going on between the tenant and the leasing department but nothing has been finalised yet,” she said.
The two-storey avenue had been home around 26 high-end stores selling brands such as Hugo Boss, Porsche Design, Phat Farm, plus a BinHendi Boutique selling luxury watches and jewellery, and dining outlets.
The avenue was opened to a huge fanfare in December 2005.In February a new BinHendi Boutique was opened in Dubai Mall, following on the heels of another store in the Burj Al Arab in June 2008.
BinHendi was not immediately available for comment.
Bin Hendi Avenue was merely gift for his daughter. A proverbial white elephant, it was just to satisfy a huge ego, don't belive otherwise. It was never busy, people would just walk through to get to the parking. There were always more employees than customers. Some of the people who are in charge of this company are f****d up and do not care for it's non boutique employees who are overworked and underpaid Asians. Sad to see it close as it was my blood and sweat that was part of opening this waste of time and space, without so much as a simple verbal thank you. I DO NOT recommend working here, unless you are Arabic. Any Arab, even sheperds and peasants from the mountains will do well here.
ReplyDeleteA former BH hospitality employee who is in a better much-appreciative place now.