Dubai: Pair a budding entrepreneur with a passion for vintage clothes with someone having a good eye for the quirky, and chances are you have come across one of the more unique retail concepts to come out of Dubai in recent times.
And if they happen to be siblings, all the better. The Egyptian brother and sister combine, Maha and Hussain Abdul Rasheed, have tapped their interests to start a concept store on Jumeirah Beach Road.
And a split down the middle of the store mirrors their individual passions as well.
Two stores in one
On the one side is "Bambah", which was a term widely used in Egypt in the 1940s and 50s and means "pink" — Maha's favourite colour. Drift over to the other side and you'll stumble into "The Zoo", a one-stop destination for quirky and unusual gifts. The fact that it is located opposite the Dubai Zoo is nothing more than coincidence, according to Hussain.
"The idea behind a zoo is you put all the animals from all over the world together in one area… just like we have [with the merchandise] in this shop," he said.
Added Maha: "By having the split, we can share the fun and make it a one-shop destination. If you like vintage you can come here; also if you want something funky. And even if the intention is just to hang out you can still come here."
It was two years ago that Maha, a marketing graduate from the American University of Sharjah, decided to turn a hobby into a profession. "I've always had a passion for vintage clothing," she said. "I've been collecting for seven years, way before I decided to open a boutique.
"Wherever I went I always sought out thrift shops, charity shops, flea markets and peoples' homes for the best vintage goods."
The items on display at the shop are selected by Maha on trips she goes on every few months, mainly to Amsterdam, London, New York, Los Angeles and Tokyo.
"Because vintage is a relatively new concept in the Middle East it has to be in excellent condition," she added. "I hand-pick every-thing myself. I try it on, smell it, clean it and make sure it's in excellent condition. If it passes my test I'm comfortable in displaying it in the store [to sell]."
The Zoo, on the other hand, has a more futuristic design to showcase its quirky knick-knacks. "The whole point is that we sell stuff that's very well designed and unique in its concept," Hussain said.
Having spent the major part of their lives in Dubai, they know the shopping scene well and, more importantly, what it lacks.
Destination stores
"I think Dubai needs more boutiques — malls don't really serve the purpose of pure shopping," Maha said. "So I think having destination stores outside where you have fun with the interiors, the pieces and the staff is the way forward.
"There's a market for it and that has been proven through the feedback that we've got from customers. Most of them love it; they find it very refreshing. It feels like there is demand for more of these stand-alone boutiques, whether vintage or not."
A key part of the business strategy is keeping prices at affordable levels. "Everything has to be very reasonably priced, so we price it as if we're buying it," said Hussain. "There are different kinds of profits: the greedy one and the kind that covers your costs and [gives you] a little bit extra, which is the one I decided to go for."
With design inputs provided by Maha and Hussain, their differing — and vibrant — personalities are imprinted on both sides of the store.
"We're talking two completely different centuries under one roof," said Hussain. "We want to have it in a way where you can feel the difference, but with a smooth transition."
On the Bambah side, the store is cosy but playful. Clothing racks are slotted around a vintage chest, wardrobes and drawers from Egypt. The central area allows shoppers to regroup and analyse their purchases. "The whole idea is that I want people to come in and experiment, try on things, play dressing up, and try things they'd never imagine themselves wearing," Maha said.
A foray into The Zoo will find you in a different world that is futuristic and funky. A display of old security cameras leads you into the minimalist entrance space. Hidden further inside the shop is what Hussain calls "the vault" where his more expensive and unusual products are displayed.
Individuality as theme
The lure of individuality is the bonding theme for both shops. Each piece on Maha's side of the store is unique and once sold it's gone. Hussain, on the other hand, buys only six pieces of each item, ensuring that a buyer is almost guaranteed not too many others will have it.
Funding the business was through a mixture of their own savings and help from their father. When it came to choosing the location, they shied away from the mega malls that anchor Dubai's shopping scene and scouted for a villa on Jumeirah Beach Road. Finding the location and getting the trade licence was the hardest part in setting up.
"It took us almost six months and we were paying rent all that time," said Hussain. "The contractor couldn't even start until we got the trade licence."
Lessons
- One's hobbies can be developed into a viable vocation.
- Concepts that are not tried and tested can also work.
- Get the ambience right, and you are half-way through to getting the retailing part right.
