‘Favorite’ malls in Riyadh, Jeddah revealed

The most popular shopping malls in Riyadh and Jeddah were revealed Tuesday. (File photo: Reuters)
Updated 27 May 2017
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‘Favorite’ malls in Riyadh, Jeddah revealed

DUBAI: The most popular shopping malls in Riyadh and Jeddah were revealed Tuesday at the Arab Luxury World forum in Dubai.
The data was gathered by GCC Mall Mapping, a syndicated research initiative designed by consultant Nadine Touma Gammage, managed and executed by Sapience Consultancy and endorsed by the Arab Luxury World forum.
Gammage revealed the Q1 2017 findings during a presentation at the forum and explained to the audience that the results were based on interviews with 600 people in each city from a mix of nationalities and age groups.
She stressed that the results were based on interviews with residents, rather than tourists, and persons from households with a total income of SR10,000 at least per month.
According to the findings, Riyadh malls in the “favorites” category include Riyadh Gallery, Granada Mall, Nakheel Mall and Panorama Mall as 40-60 percent of responders in the city say they have visited in the past three months. Riyadh Gallery comes out on top with 15-20 percent of interviewees rating it their “preferred mall.”
Meanwhile, 10-15 percent of interviewees rated Granada, Nakheel and Panorama their “preferred mall.”
In Jeddah, five malls were placed in the “favorites” category — Mall of Arabia, Red Sea Mall, Aziz Mall, Salaam Mall and Andalus Mall.
Here, 45-60 percent of interviewees said they visited the malls in the past three months, with Red Sea Mall and Andalus Mall coming out on top as 15-20 percent of respondents called it their “preferred mall.”
Geared toward providing much-needed insight into the shopping habits of consumers, the Mall Mapping initiative was launched at last year’s Arab Luxury World forum.
Organized by Dubai-based publisher Mediaquest Corp., the two-day luxury business conference featured an agenda of speeches and panel discussions by more than 70 speakers under the theme “Digital Disruption and Emotional Engagement.”
The event, which wrapped up Tuesday, served as a platform for professionals from the premium goods and services market to discuss and debate the latest trends in the industry.

* This story has been updated to show that Riyadh Gallery is among the 'favorite' category of malls in Riyadh.


Little Farm: A Countryside Escape in the Heart of Jeddah

Updated 13 sec ago
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Little Farm: A Countryside Escape in the Heart of Jeddah

  • The farm provides a pleasant setting for capturing memorable photos, especially when children encounter farm animals for the first time

During weekends, I always like to take my 18-month-old son somewhere that stimulates his senses and curiosity. While searching for family-friendly farms in Jeddah, I discovered Little Farm, located in the Al-Manarat district. With a 4.2 rating, it seemed like a convenient nearby option.

My first impression upon entering was very positive. The venue also hosts children’s themed parties, and the cashier explained the available activities, which cater to children as young as one year old. Visitors can access the animal farm area starting from SR39 for both adults and children.

Older children can participate in interactive experiences such as goat milking, which is offered for an additional fee. Visitors can also explore dedicated rabbit and cat halls, both available at an extra charge. These halls allow children to interact with animals from various breeds in a safe environment, under the supervision of trained animal specialists. Another section of the venue is the vertical farm zone, where families can explore hanging fruits and vegetables and learn about modern farming methods.

I purchased tickets for the animal farm and paid an additional SR25 for a basket of animal feed, which included cattle feed, bird food, clover, grains and lettuce. Visitors can keep the reusable straw basket for future visits. The dark brown basket with a blue base adds to the countryside aesthetic. The farm opens daily to visitors at 4:30 p.m.

A toddler gets a close encounter with a goat at the Little Farm. (AN photo by Nada Hameed)

The maze-like entrance creates the atmosphere of a secret garden. Visitors are first greeted by a group of large turkeys, loudly announcing their presence. I quickly moved toward the duck pond, as ducks are my son’s favorite birds. We enjoyed feeding them lettuce by the water. Both the ducks and the pond were clean, and the experience was enjoyable enough that my son wanted to stay there for the rest of the visit.

We then moved to the turtle enclosure, where the animals appeared active and eager to be fed. In the goat section, children were allowed to hold a baby goat, which quickly became a highlight for many families. We also fed goats and sheep, the farm indeed provided an engaging and educational experience for children. Ponies, cows, donkeys and geese were also there.

The farm provides a pleasant setting for capturing memorable photos, especially when children encounter farm animals for the first time. The reactions are truly priceless.

The animal shelters were clean and spacious, and the farm offers a good variety of animals. Staff members were helpful and welcoming, and overall prices were reasonable for the experience offered. For more information, check the farm’s Instagram account @littlefarmksa.