Nakheel rounds up retailers 2 weeks after launch

Almost a third of shop space at Nakheel's new Circle Mall at Jumeirah Village in Dubai has been booked less than two weeks after its launch, developer Nakheel confirmed yesterday.
Around 130,000 square feet at the new retail and leisure destination is accounted for, with upscale British supermarket chain Waitrose confirmed as the anchor store. The multi-screen cinema and most of the casual dining and food court space is also already taken.
Circle Mall will have 200 shops, an anchor supermarket, two department stores, a cinema and a variety of dining outlets. It is one of several projects in Nakheel's growing retail portfolio, which includes malls at Deira Islands, Palm Jumeirah and Jumeirah Village Triangle, souks at Deira Islands and Warsan Village, a retail complex at Palm Jumeirah's Golden Mile and neighbourhood centres at Nakheel communities across Dubai.
Ali Rashid Lootah, Chairman of Nakheel, said, "Retail expansion will continue to be a focus for Nakheel in 2015 and beyond. We are targeting 10 million sq. ft. of leasable space through a diverse range of new projects from large-scale malls and souk-style complexes that will attract residents and tourists from far and wide, to local centres that serve the immediate needs of people living in our communities.
"The reaction to Circle Mall, and to other recently-launched Nakheel projects proves that retailers – be they global household brand names or individual entrepreneurs are hungry for new space where they can expand their business and capitalise on Dubai's growth." Located between Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Al Khail Road and Hessa Street, the Circle Mall will serve hundreds of thousands of people living in and around Jumeirah Village, and provide a new leisure destination for residents and tourists across the rest of Dubai. Construction is expected to begin in Q1 2015.
Nakheel yesterday announced a second extension to Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai, adding another 640,000 sq. ft. of shop space and a multi-storey car park to the complex. The developer also confirmed plans to release a tender for the construction of Deira Islands Mall in January 2015.
Source: WAM