RETAIL BOOST: Al Darwish also revealed that the firm was planning to add three more brands in different categories to its portfolio in the second half.(ITP Images)
The long-awaited Lagoona Mall luxury retail project is set to open in the first quarter of next year, the vice chairman of Qatari conglomerate Darwish Holding has said.
“It will hopefully be open in the first quarter of 2011, and the mall is roughly 70 percent occupied,” Saoud Abdullah Al Darwish told Arabian Business.
Lagoona Mall will contain over 55,000 sq m of retail shopping space across two levels, and will include over 170 outlets.
The mall is based in Doha’s West Bay district.
In March, Darwish Holding signed a deal with Gulf Contracting to build the 51 East department store, set to be the largest in Qatar.
51 East, which is the name of Darwish’s luxury retail division, will comprise a quarter of Lagoona Mall’s retail space.

Among the brands with which 51 East already has ties are Chanel, Calvin Klein, Rolex, Apple and Sony.
Al Darwish also revealed that the firm was planning to add three more brands in different categories to its portfolio in the second half.
“Each one of those categories – luxury goods, electronics and fashion – will be a big surprise, because this will be the first time they have been represented in Qatar,” the Darwish Holding vice chairman said.
“They are industry peers in their own categories, and these brands will be presented in our new luxury store at Lagoona Mall.”
Al Darwish said that the Qatari retail market had remained strong, despite the global economic crisis affecting the rest of the world, and stated that he foresaw double-digit growth for 2010.