Vindico Retail delivers Abu Dhabi luxury

The Galleria at Sowwah Square has opened in Abu Dhabi with seventy-five per cent of its leasable units trading from day one.

Vindico Retail represented the developer, Gulf Related, as retail delivery managers, working alongside the client's leasing and construction teams, the retail and food and beverage tenants and the local authorities to open 102 units.

The offer is quite sophisticated. We have done a few things to hopefully appeal to the Emirati audience, not just through offering luxury in particular but many of the stores have been custom designed.
Kevin Ryan, Managing Director of Development, Gulf Related

The line-up includes Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Prada, Gucci, Bulgari, Dior, Burberry, Balenciaga and Miu Miu, each a collaboration between the brand, its local and regional licensees and their design and fit-out supply chains. Jonathan Firn-Keightley, Project Director, says the priority was making sure the local retail groups and international brands had the best possible support from the landlord through tenant coordination, and that with brands of this kind the work shifts towards navigating local authority and utility approvals. Peter Row, Founding Director, notes that Vindico Retail was involved in The Galleria's retail delivery from foundation to execution.

Gulf Related is a joint venture between The Related Companies of New York and Gulf Capital of Abu Dhabi, developing The Galleria in partnership with the master developer for Sowwah Square and Al Maryah Island, Mubadala.

Vindico's role covered retail delivery management on behalf of the developer. Each store was designed and fitted out by its brand and their contractors.