AS rivals open an array of convenience stores one retailer has gone for the big shop in what is one of the most popular expat community residential areas on the island. Residents will no longer need to head out of their compounds and drive towards Manama for the ‘hyper’ experience as a mighty Macro Mart has made itself home in Saar.
It is a regional supermarket franchise under the wing of leading UAE-based retailers Choithrams, with plans to expand further in the kingdom. The director, R V Waghnani, said: “Plans for more stores in Bahrain are already in the pipeline and people will be hearing about them soon. In the meantime, we welcome everyone to our Saar branch.” The two-storey operation, which spans an area of 38,000sq/ft, was built by Saud Kanoo and is located close to St Christopher’s Junior School and the Nakheel Centre which will see an Alosra open today to replace Waitrose which pulled down the shutters on its operations in Bahrain. Mr Waghnani says the company has invested around BD1.6 million on the store’s interior alone and the launch has come as a result of the success of its first outlet which opened in January 2013 in West Riffa Mall. He said: “We believe that we are giving residents in and around Saar and Budaiya a great supermarket that caters to all, whether they are European, Bahraini, Indian or of any other Asian origin. We have everything they need under one roof. “We also fly in goods from the US, the UK, Europe and Australia and try to provide as many products as possible so that a shopper does not have to drive around all over the place in search of the items they desire. We aim to ensure people find everything they need right here, saving precious time and money, of course.” One of the store’s special features is an AirFlo cold-enhancing aluminium shelving system. Industry insiders claim it keeps fruits and vegetables fresh for longer periods. The ground floor includes baked goods, dairy products, a delicatessen with a selection of meats, a fish station and dry foods. The first floor houses IT products such as laptops, mobiles and accessories, home decor items as well as kitchen appliances. Other items on offer are stationery, luggage, electronics such as TVs and sound systems, toys, watches, make-up, perfumes, school and sports products and everyday fashion garments for men and women. Shoppers have already started flocking to the store and are said to be thrilled with the variety of items on offer and its opening hours. Housewife Natalie Karunaratne, 30, from Saar, had dropped off her four-year-old son Jeremiah to school before venturing into the store. Mrs Karunaratne said: “I did not expect Macro Mart to be quite this big. It’s perfect. I feel like I can find everything I need here and I no longer have to worry about driving into town for things. The best part is that it opens early at 8am and closes at 11pm.” Saar resident Mary Khonji was also pleased with the store timings. She said: “It’s got a good range of stuff and I like that they open early in the morning. That is very important to me as I always like to get my food shopping done early.” As the future of Macro Mart in Saar looks fruitful, its neighbouring new Alosra is confident of success too at the Nakheel Centre, as reported in GulfWeekly, which complements its larger store near the Saar Grand Mosque. Let’s not forget, Géant easy is also right around the corner alongside cold-stores and other retailers including a convenience store opened 24 hours. Mr Waghnani has no worries about being caught up in the Saar store wars. He said: “When you are opening in a new market you consider the convenience you are giving the consumer. When you have proper variety and a good pricing structure then you shouldn’t be worried about anything else.” Jaffar Al Asfoor, Alosra’s vice president of food retailing & production, believes that competition is healthy. He said: “The Saar area has definitely seen a significant growth over the last few years and especially after 2011 where many operators have opened and closed reaffirming the strength and popularity of the Saar area. “The competition is tough but at the same time it’s healthy for businesses like us. At the end of the day the customer is our focus and more stores will offer customers better choice. We sincerely believe that it’s down to how every business decides to delight their customers. “We are happy to be opening the new and renovated Alosra Nakheel Centre opposite St Christopher’s Junior School and customers can be guaranteed that we will deliver excellence and delight.”
