Set up new business in Manama suggestions

Hi Sarakaev,

Are you targeting the western expat community or the expats in general ? Local customers as well ? What is your price range ?
All these parameters will make a big difference in your choice.

If you can be a little more precise, I'll try to give you some inputs on that.

Yours

Olivier

Hi
Olivier-France
Thanks for reply
Basically we are selling high fashion party dresses for both LOCALS+FOREIGN EXPATS
Prices from mid to high
Tops & Trousers range between 15 to 25 dinars
Ladies party dresses between 80 to 200 dinars
Wedding Gowns from 150 to 500 dinars.

Thanks again
and waiting for reply
Sarakaev

Hi again Sarakaev,

Considering your target and your price range, I think that the best places to be would be whether close to Manama or the Riffa area. Of course I haven't seen the kind of items you sell and the quality of it, but roughly it sounds a bit expensive compared to the local market, so you need to be in place where the customers who can afford that range are coming.

Nowadays, THE mall "where to be" is City Center. It's the biggest, the brightest, the hypest, the newest AND the most expansive
Many tenants are very unhappy and would like to leave, but in terms of visibility, it's the place where you will find the biggest crowd (which doesn't mean they are all buying :p). They catch a lot of Saudi customers as well, particularly during the weekends.

Close to there, you have Seef Maal Alali Mall, Bahrain Mall, Dana Mall and Marina Mall.
Seef and Alali are comunicating. Seef use to be THE mall 10 years back. Now it's suffering a little from the lack of customers.
Bahrain Mall is a 10 years old mall with a big hypermarket (Geant). It's a family mall where expat as well as local are coming mostly for the hypermarket. As far as it's size is concerned, it's not too big, not too small.
Dana Mall is also having an Hypermarket (Lulu). It's attracting mostly Southern Indian customers.
Marina mall is besides the Central Market and suffered a lot of its proximity to the Pearl Roundabout during the recent events. It's mostly filled with small stores.
On the other side of Bab Al Bahrain, there is Moda Mall. This mall is in the Bahrain World Trade Center. It's the most expansive in Bahrain and is dedicated to all the designers in fashion or decoration. Usually, they don't display the prices of the items on them, you have to ask... and you'd better stand right in your shoes to survive the answer Most of the customers are extremely wealthy locals or Saudis and I'm affraid your range might look "cheap" in there.
In the souq of Manama, there is also a little mall called Yateem Center. I've not been there since a long time so I don't know how they are doing but it's a nightmare to park there.

After that I think you have to get out of Manama. I hope I didn't forget one (please correct me if so !). Most of them have websites with a Contact Us link if you want to inquire about the rent.

Hope this will help a little...

Yours

Olivier

Hi
Olivier
I really Appericiate your help
once again thanks
Sarakaev:)