Times Square Centre – A Rare Example of Retail Growth Even During Challenging Times

Times Square Center, a much-loved communityfocused mall, based on Sheikh Zayed Road Dubai has been strategically executing its incredible planned transformation into an appealing, retail and family-experience-focused destination since 2019, and the results have been nothing short of phenomenal.

When the pandemic hit two years ago and the retail industry started to suffer its biggest downfall since the 2007 recession, Times Square Center continued to implement its exceptionally strategic plan to try and create unheard of growth during these trying times. Through this unique, ‘Together through challenging times,’ strategy, Times Square Center worked with its tenants to become a shining example of how businesses can work together to create positive change. Times Square Center now proudly

Times Square Center Management Team

boasts an impressive occupancy level, with 29 new businesses launching since 2019. With the new strategy plan in place, Times Square Center even has potential new tenants on a waiting list when new retail space becomes available. Times Square Center has seen a 40% increase in new store openings within the past three years, which in itself, is an amazing achievement.

Times Square Center’s strategy was simple. It wanted to grow its reputation as the ultimate communityfocused mall, which would affect the types of retailers and brands that they would invite into its space. And, at the heart of this new strategy is, Times Square Center’s heart. It views its Management Team, its tenants, its suppliers and its extended team such as its PR, Creative & Digital Agency as part of one large family, all working together for the good of one another in order to achieve both individual and ‘family’ growth, goals and success. It is incredibly picky about which brands it allows to join its ‘family,’ ensuring that all brands are aligned with its goals and values, even when the financial aspect is enticing.

With a strong focus and appreciation for locally based and femaleowned businesses, Times Square Center’s General Manager, Nancy Ozbek, has been at the core of this expansion and revolution, encouraging women to open their new stores and giving guidance on what direction she thinks the Times Square Center should be moving in.

At TSC we are not just a retail space, but genuinely consider ourselves a family that share the same values and beliefs.

When asked what she thinks has set Times Square Center apart from other retail spaces, Nancy said, “At TSC we are not just a retail space, but genuinely consider ourselves a family that share the same values and beliefs. We have realised that our strength really is in the communities that support us, whether that be our tenants or our customers. There is so much value in adapting, in order to offer our customers a space that they feel safe and comfortable in. Parents can drop their kids off at Adventure HQ for a little wall climbing while they relax over a hot beverage at one of our inviting coffee shops, before stocking up on farm-fresh fruit and vegetables and artisanal clothing, toys, and gifts – and maybe grabbing a couple of books from the second-hand bookstore on their way out. And since Viva launched in our mall, we really have become a one-stop-shop offering busy families everything that they might need. Times Square Center is a very special place, and we are so proud of everything that we have achieved in the past two years. We look forward to seeing what the next five years hold.”

Traditionally, shopping centres have categorised retail tenants into two types. These are Traffic Attractors who draw footfall and traffic to the mall, and Traffic Users who pique the interest of those already at the mall and rely heavily on mall traffic. Times Square Center decided to break this rule and started to select every single retailer, from anchor brands to smaller concepts, as traffic attractors. Times Square Center started favouring smaller retail tenants known as micro-mini retail space tenants, who focused on community-type products and experiences and whose target groups tend to be mainly youth and younger adults. These brands operate on smaller overheads and bring concepts that are extremely popular in other parts of the world, to the city of Dubai, that essentially, have been missing here for years. Times Square Center launched several new brands including Eggs n Soldiers, Melodica, Studiyolab, Latin Fit, Picasso Artists, OtakuME, Maker’s Guild and Sparkbake to name a few into its space and found that these alternative brands really helped to rejuvenate the mall and attract a wonderfully loyal audience. An incredible charity initiative, Thrift For Good, is set to launch in one of the last few remaining spaces and this concept exudes everything ‘good’ that Times Square Center stands for. Thrift For Good sells a selection of clothing, shoes and books that have been donated to them from the community, and all proceeds go towards Gulf For Good children’s charities. The management team believes that these smaller, community-focused brands, is one of the main answers to its incredible success today.

Times Square Center’s tenant onboarding criteria is very straightforward. Its ethos revolves around promoting well-being, education, edutainment, and sustainability. Most of its recent retailers have approached the management team simply because their personal objectives align with Times Square Center. It is also open to like-minded concepts that are willing to adapt to its strategy and focus. Times Square Center has several brands that specifically opened in its retail space and have been successfully growing in business and occupational space since their inception. A few incredible brands that have found success at Times Square Center are Malaak, Eggs n Soldiers, Baby Eats, Studiyolab, Makers Guild, OtakuME, Mums and Bumps, Tutoring Club and Blossom Honey.

Times Square Center is also getting ready to unveil its newly refurbished, sustainable and energy-efficient food court area, ‘Picnic Square,’ which will launch this November. Set to become the ‘beating heart’ of the family orientated community mall, the unique new concept will incorporate functional dining and coworking areas; greenery filled and open welcoming spaces. Picnic Square has been designed with families in mind, with artisanal, deli-style restaurants and cafes fitting snugly along the walls. Comfortable tables, including kid-sized table and chair seating will fill the majority of the space, while contrasting accents of shrubbery and greenery will add a literal breath of fresh air. Even new mums have been considered, with well-thought out ‘private pods’ allowing mums looking for a bit of privacy, the ability to feed their babies out of view from other shoppers.

Almost completely filled with relevant brands, Times Square Center has announced a few limited spaces available for any new brands hoping to move into Picnic Square and tap into its exclusive, family-focused audience. When asked about what the next two years has in store for Times Square Center, Nancy clarified that its strategy over the next two years is to work intensively as a group of establishments that are designed, planned, developed, owned, marketed, and leased in order to achieve overall success for everyone.

The Times Square Center Management Team sees itself as one big family, offering success not just for one but for all, working harmoniously together like one unique organism. This wonderful Community Mall has reinvented itself in a challenging time and its unique, long-term strategy is clearly working, and as the last few remaining vacant spaces fill and interest continues to grow, it proves that staying true to your roots really can set you apart from the competition.

Visit timessquarecenter.ae or follow @timessquaredxb on Instagram.

Viva Launched at Times Square Center Dubai