Capital Mall, a new $292m retail destination in Abu Dhabi offering nearly 280 stores, is set for a soft opening in the first quarter of next year. Manazel Real Estate said the retail mall will spread over three storeys spanning 60,158 sq m and housing 278 brands, as well as entertainment zones, restaurants and cafes. Mohamed Mehanna Al Qubaisi, chairman of Manazel Real Estate, said: “Capital Mall has been completed in accordance to its proposed deadline, built according to quality and environmental protocol procedures.” He added that Manazel has signed contracts with “several large local and global brands”, led by Geant Hypermarket. He said Capital Mall will be ready for its soft launch during the first quarter of 2012, with its official opening set for the following quarter. Al Qubaisi added: “Capital Mall will contribute to introducing new life into the area and will revitalize it in accordance to the Abu Dhabi 2030 vision of residential development within the new Capital District area.” Arif Shaikh, managing director of Retail Arabia the operating company for Géant, added: “Our decision to open Géant hypermarket at the Capital Mall is because of the prime location... This will also help strengthen the Geant brand in the region and give us economies of scale with suppliers to negotiate good deals and prices to ensure our customers get maximum value.”
