DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Residents, workers and visitors in Dubai can now enjoy convenience, 7‑Eleven style. Seven Emirates Investment LLC, a master franchisee of 7‑Eleven, Inc., this week celebrated the opening of its first 7‑Eleven store in the United Arab Emirates.
The store opened for business Oct. 6, and the company held an event today with a ribbon-cutting, VIP attendance and celebratory dinner for suppliers, contractors and other guests. The location of 7‑Eleven’s first store in the Middle East is Bay Square, Building #4, near downtown Dubai and the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa Tower.
The new 2,000-square-foot store carries some 2,500 products that are both typical of 7‑Eleven stores and special to that part of the world.
The currently company-operated store employs 18, who reflect the diversity of the United Arab Emirates.
“We worked closely with Seven Emirates and our parent company Seven-Eleven Japan to ensure we are providing the neighborhood with the products they expect from 7‑Eleven as well as fresh foods typically consumed there,” said Chris Tanco, 7‑Eleven executive vice president and head of International.
The store boasts a number of special features and customer conveniences. For example, an indoor counter faces outdoors where customers can eat and charge their mobile devices; a mini-office area with ATM, bill payment and copier machines, and delivery bicycles outside for on-demand service.
The store is operated now by Seven Emirates and expected to be franchised in the future after the infrastructure that supports 7‑Eleven stores is fully built.
This includes partnerships with third parties that would make and deliver fresh foods daily and 7‑Eleven’s proprietary retail information system.
Seven Emirates plans to open a second 7‑Eleven store in December in the high-profile Dubai Marina neighborhood.
