PB Dubai

The sign that shocked my soul

The first day we arrived in Dubai I went to the Mirdif Mall. It is about a mile from our old home in Dubai. The mall now sits where we used to run our quad on the sand. It is HUGE and holds treasures within.

When we first moved to Dubai I always thought it had everything but a Potterybarn. At that time, it was my favorite store and the object of my affection. Despite my wishful thinking, Potterybarn had no word of going overseas and only had a couple of stores in Canada. Therefore, what are the chances that Potterybarn opens:

a. the first overseas stores in Dubai?

b. two days before I decided to visit with my son?

c. a store a mile away from my old home in Mirdif?

I about fainted when I walked inside the mall and saw this:

...and this....

Note the local UAE man walking into the store, traditional dress in PB is a strange combination and was visually confusing. However, for all the cash that sits in Dubai, PB is bound to see some serious profits-brilliant.
The fun thing was walking into the stores. The atmosphere easily tricked me into thinking I was home--in America. Yet, there were many signs to tell me otherwise ie. the abaya'ed woman examining the Caroline bedroom collection, the Indian security guard who can't speak English at the door, or the Filipino store clerk trying to explain the PB brand to Russian women.

The other international indicator are the names on the walls...

The other difference between PB back home and Dubai is that the prices are at least 30% higher than the base price back in the US. I met one local UAE woman who seemed delighted by the prices. She explained that when she visits one of her homes in Palm Springs she buys all of her furniture from PB and has it shipped to Dubai. I guess everything is relative.

The sad thing is that my style has deviated from the PB signature in a big way. Plus, crabs and seashells don't quite mesh with my Nepali god idols. Not feel'n the chemistry. So, in essence PB and I have grown apart.

Another store that I have out grown is this one:

But I could use one of these in Doha:

This is all in the Dubai suburb that barely had a grocery store in it when I first arrived. It depresses me to think that I lived there for two years and had nothing at my disposal. The only person who is happy about the timing of this new mall is Axel and our bank account.