Retail Store Fit-Out in Dubai Malls: 8 Things to Plan First
Opening a store in a Dubai mall is different from fitting out a standalone shop. The location brings footfall, but it also brings rules: design approvals, working-hour limits, delivery windows and a landlord who must approve what shoppers will see. Tenants who learn these rules after signing the lease often lose weeks. Tenants who plan for them early usually open on time. This guide covers eight things to plan first when you are preparing a retail store fit-out in a Dubai mall. 1. Read the landlord's design criteria before you design Most malls issue tenant design criteria that set out what is allowed in the shopfront, the ceiling, the lighting, the flooring at the entrance and the signage. Start from these documents, not from a mood board. A concept that ignores them will be returned for changes, and each round of comments adds days to the schedule. 2. Confirm the condition of the unit at handover Units are handed over in different conditions. Some come as a bare shell,...