The store was filled with fur coats of varying size, shape and color. They were arranged on racks inside a neon-lit space. Customers were trying them on, and they seemed to envelop the person wearing them, making them almost disappear. These are clothes made for severe winters, obviously. And there wasn’t just one store but there were many, next to each other. They had signs in Cyrillic advertising their ware to passing customers.
Sellers were calling for shoppers, screaming “Meha, meha” (fur in Russian).
Welcome to the Fur district.
No, this is not Moscow, Russia. It is right here, in the heart of Dubai, Deira, near Bani Yas or Jamal Abd al Nasser Square.
The area has long been known as a center for selling fur coats, in addition to other items of course. That part of the city was the center of trade, sustained by the traffic of dhows on the creek.
The National in a piece on the district’s history notes that when fur coat retailers arrived in the 1970s and 1980s, they clustered around al Nasser square. The trade has grown since. Ten years ago there were 18 fur coat stores, now the number has reached around 140. This is evident in the district’s overall character which, as the newspaper put it, “has become more ‘slavic.’” Some of the main landmarks include the Moscow Hotel, Red Square Cafe and Bolshoi Restaurant. As The National points out, signs guiding buyers to fur stores are printed in Cyrillic, as are most of the store managers' business cards. Almost all of the sales assistants are Russian.
Curiously, the stores' managers are mostly Greek, and from a specific region the northern city of Kastoria, which has relied on the fur trade for centuries. And, the fur coats themselves are made of fur imported from Scandinavian countries and finished into coats in Kastoria.
So why do so many customers, particularly from Russia come to Dubai to buy coats in the first place? One would imagine that such items would be better to buy in one’s home country. The reason is of course economic. Given the UAE’s relaxed tax rules, fur coats are about five per cent cheaper than they are in Russia That can result in hundreds of dollars of savings.
Russian women constitute the dominant nationality purchasing these coats. The significance for such garments cannot be underestimated as they are considered a status symbol in Russia and as such are coveted by its burgeoning middle class. As one storeowner observes: "When you have a long, fur jacket it means you are from a wealthy family. It gives you status."
Some stores make sales of more than 300 coats per month, the exact amount depending on the weather in Russia.
And they do not come cheap. Prices start at Dh10,000 to Dh40,000 and higher. According to one shop owner as recounted in Emirates 24/7 "Our most expensive item is sold for Dh85,000 … it is made of mink."
Such high priced items can eventually lead to problems and undercover activities. As Emirates 24/7 observed many retailers cannot afford to rent a store on the street side and thus conduct their activities through various apartments surrounding al Nasser square and also along Maktoum street. In order to attract customers to such sites brokers are placed along the street calling for customers and leading them to these apartments. This has in some instances led to conflicts among brokers and also between customers and retailers.
So what should we make of all this? Is it perhaps appropriate to redevelop the area and move the fur trade to an outer location along Emirates Road? Kind of like Dragon Mart, but this time we can call it Bear Mart (referring here to the Russian Bear)? This would, I believe, be to the detriment of the district.
Indeed Al Nasser square is one of those areas than can be truly considered the heart of Dubai. Historically it has played a role in the city’s modern urban development. Witnessing a bit of a slowdown during the construction of Dubai Metro it has now regained its status as the prime commercial hub of Deira.
I was there during a recent Thursday evening, the start of the weekend, and spent some time across from the entrance to the Baniyas Metro Station which opens directly onto the square. Here you can observe a truly multi-cultural scene, with people hailing from various parts of the world interacting and conversing in peace. Baby pushcarts manned by Chinese women dominated one corner of the space, and they seem to be connected to an area nearby which is a China town of sorts. South Asians, Africans, and Arabs occupied the various benches placed throughout the meticulously landscaped park.
Link to video
Yet there are other sections, particularly those leading to the fur stores, located behind Bani Yas Towers, which were dark and gloomy. Obviously, in order to have a comprehensive vision, all parts need to be developed efficiently.
The very essence of Dubai is here: a vibrant China town, Arab markets, ethnic restaurants, and a fur district for good measure. For those describing Dubai as a city without a soul, I would suggest a visit to al Nasser square. You will change your mind in an instant!
