• UK footwear brand Dune London will open five UAE stores in the next five months, bringing its total in the Emirates to 19. By the end of 2017, Dune aims to have 50 stores throughout the Middle East, with 17 planned for Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait.
• Saudi Arabian gourmet food retailer Bateel International is expanding in the Kingdom. The Riyadh-based chain will open its seventh and eighth cafés, in Damman and Jeddah, later this year. • Saudi Arabia’s first Serta mattress store opened on Al Urubah Road in Al Wurud, Riyadh. The store is operated by local franchisor Dubai Furniture Manufacturing Co.
• Fathima Group will spend $54 million to open six new hypermarkets across GCC countries, including units in Dubai, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah. The retailer currently has stores in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, India and China.
• Smartphone maker Du is growing in Dubai with the opening of its 64th store at Wafi Mall, which will feature bill payment machines where customers can serve themselves. “We are very excited to expand our retail footprint and be more accommodating towards our customers’ needs,” said Ahmad Al Khaja, Du’s vice president of consumer direct channels. • US men’s fashion concept The Grooming Lounge will launch its first Middle East location, a franchised unit that will open in Dubai next year with local partner NTDE. The retailer operates two units in the Washington area and is expanding around the US.
• US shoe retailer DSW and Dubai-based retail conglomerate Apparel Group will open stores in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and Oman, with the ultimate goal of operating 40 stores in the Persian Gulf region. The first stores will open next year.
• Upscale UK accessories brand Anya Hindmarch will open its first Saudi Arabia store, a 1,346-square-foot unit at Riyadh’s Kingdom Centre. The brand opened its first GCC store in Abu Dhabi last year at Yas Mall.
• Riyadh-based L’azurde Company for Jewelry said strong sales helped drive a 14 per cent increase in net income for the first half of 2016. Sales were up 4.7 per cent at the company’s stores during the period. It plans to open four additional stores in Saudi Arabian malls over the next year.
• Dubai-based Al Samadi intends to open 20 new Forever Rose stores in the Gulf region. Middle Eastern units are planned for Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.