Lagoona to target discerning shoppers

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Lagoona will aim to attract consumers looking for high-end brands.

Lagoona mall, a 127,000 sq m mall being developed in Qatar, will raise the stakes in the country's burgeoning retail sector. The project, which is being developed by Qatari company Darwish Holding, will have a focus on higher-end brands and aims to become a major destination for consumers in Qatar. Ronald Dinelle, the project's general manager, tells Retail News Middle East about the mall and how it will stand out from its rivals.

Where will Lagoona mall be and what is the idea behind the project?

We planned Lagoona to be a retail experience that is far beyond the ordinary. It is our strategic move to bolster our core mission of promoting lifestyle-shopping experiences.
Lagoona is situated at the heart of Doha's West Bay area, the country's most cosmopolitan vicinity. Lagoona is nested between the iconic Zigzag towers, the West Bay Residential Lagoon development and the districts of Lusail and the Pearl. Lagoona is a 127,000 sq m, two-level lifestyle shopping centre with 53,000 sq m of retail shopping. One of Lagoona's unique features is a 20,000 sq m landscaped European piazza, featuring 5,000 sq m of fine dining which will be home to 20 restaurants with outdoor patios overlooking the piazza. The mall is due to open by the end of 2008.

How many outlets will the mall have?

Lagoona will have over 170 retail shops offering an ample variety of gifts and fashion brands. It will bring together a unique collection of the world's signature brand names such as Rolex, Zegna, Brioni, Sony, Bose, Apple iPod, Corneliani, Moreschi, to name a few.

How much is being invested in the project?

While I can't comment on exact investment figures at this point, I can say that Lagoona is part of a multi-million dollar project that is undeniably at the height of luxury shopping, bringing home experiences, facilities and services that are unavailable anywhere else in Qatar and that are thoroughly in line with the country's needs and expectations.

Why did you decide against having a hypermarket at the mall?

They're certainly well represented in Doha already - there are hypermarkets in several of the other shopping centres and not too far from where we are. We have a very tight sight with only 53,000 sq m of retail so we want to maximise the retail opportunity and the fact that we are putting these 20-24 restaurants in really became a focal point. We have spoken to well over 200 retailers already who are very interested in the Lagoona project. Now it's a matter of getting back to them and coming up with the merchandise mix and getting the leases done.

What long terms plans do you have for the Lagoona brand?

We'd like to see the Lagoona brand grow. Perhaps in a few years there will be a Lagoona Bahrain, or a Lagoona Abu Dhabi, so we'd like to take this concept and grow it. Doha is on the edge of a large boom. It's a very forward, progressive and comfortable place to live and it really is growing in leaps and bounds.

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