Marina adds to Sahara Centre's high-level brand offering

Offering rustic and exotic products, the move expands Marina's showroom chain to 16 stores across the Gulf.

The 12,000 square feet showroom, adjacent to the centre's upper level Century Cinema, will provide a shop window for Marina's beautifully handcrafted range of fusion-based home interiors. Designed in-house by Marina's Dubai design team and sourced from around the world the Hard Furniture (sofa, bedroom and dining room sets), Home Decoration and Accessories (lighting, wall decor and accessories) and Home Fabrics Lines (curtains, covers, throws, runners and table-linen), deliver a unique lifestyle.

"Sharjah's development and access to other Emirates made the Sahara Centre the natural choice for us. We have great confidence in the mall and are very happy with the mix of established local and international brands on show. The prime location of our showroom adds an extra dimension," said Khurshid Vakil, Executive Director & co-owner of Marina, of the decision to locate at Sahara.

"The Sahara Centre offers the investor a unique business opportunity, one of the best in Sharjah and the UAE. We have a complete cross-section of brands that continue to attract new customers every month," said Gavin Cox, Managing Director, Sahara Centre. "Our commitment to the customer is to offer brand names of the highest quality and we are excited to be able to add Marina to that list."

Marina's uniqueness is attributed to its specialisation in creating exquisite and radical pieces of furniture. Unusual motifs abound: by taking an ox-cart out of its natural environment Marina's designers create a beautiful bookcase, a transformation never before seen. For the more adventurous, Marina can tailor furniture to individual customers' requirements.

Marina's turnkey designs use blending and fusion to break away from the conventional to provide warmth to homes across the Gulf. "The region's home interior and furnishings market is fiercely competitive. We have created a niche with our individually handcrafted products. Our success is evident; with our diverse product range, we have attracted a loyal, multi-cultural customer base," Vakil said.

Established in 1997, family-owned Marina Home Interior and Furnishings recently unveiled a showroom in the Souq Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai. Future expansion plans involve a second showroom in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to open in September. In 2005, its 25,000 square feet flagship store will be unveiled in the Mall of the Emirates, Dubai.

"We have expansion plans, and have already tested the waters both in the Gulf and further a field. Negotiations are in process and by 2006 you will see our showrooms in key western European countries," said Vakil.

The official opening of Marina, Sahara Centre, is set for mid September 2004, where Marina will play host to friends and guests from banking and local businesses.