Inside The Grand: Dubai’s newest lifestyle destination prepares for August opening
Designed to blend seamlessly with Nad Al Sheba Gardens community
DUBAI – Dubai's retail landscape is set to welcome another community-focused destination with the opening of The Grand at Nad Al Sheba Gardens on August 19.
The two-storey development will bring together supermarkets, cafés, restaurants, healthcare, wellness and everyday services under one roof. Designed to serve residents while remaining open to visitors, the mall will launch in phases, with additional brands joining over the coming months and into early 2027.
Every retail space at The Grand has already been leased ahead of the official opening, highlighting strong demand for the new destination in one of Dubai's fast-growing residential communities.
First arrivals
The first phase will debut on August 19, led by a new Waitrose supermarket alongside MMI, Heart Cottage Lane, Maple Bear Nursery, Al Jaber Optical and Fixperts. The initial line-up has been curated to provide residents with grocery shopping, childcare, optical services and everyday essentials from day one.
The Grand was first announced in 2024 and has been developed as part of the wider Nad Al Sheba Gardens community. Located around 10 minutes from Downtown Dubai, the development also offers convenient access to DIFC, Business Bay and Meydan.
More brands
A second wave of openings is scheduled for early September, expanding the destination's dining and lifestyle offering. Among the confirmed names are Tashas, Somewhere, Home Bakery, Kokoro, Blu Pizzeria, Bake My Day, Daima, Staywell Pharmacy and Tips & Toes.
One of the standout additions will be a permanent dual-concept venue shared by Kokoro and Bake My Day. After closing its pop-up at The Square, Kokoro Handroll Bar will establish a long-term home at The Grand, sharing the space equally with Bake My Day while maintaining separate interiors and brand identities. Visitors will be able to enjoy Kokoro's signature handrolls alongside Bake My Day's popular cookies under the same roof.
Health and wellness facilities will continue expanding in early 2027 with the arrival of Fitcode and American Hospital, completing the destination's planned mix of retail, dining and healthcare services.
The Grand’s design
According to Shamal Holding, The Grand has been designed as more than a traditional shopping centre, with a focus on creating a lifestyle destination that becomes part of everyday community life.
The architecture has been planned to blend into the surrounding landscape through the use of natural materials and a muted colour palette. Landscaped parking, neighbouring parks and a light steel roof supported by vertical columns are intended to maximise natural light while integrating the building with its surroundings.
The mall forms part of the 1.5 million square metre Nad Al Sheba Gardens residential community, which features contemporary three to seven-bedroom villas and townhouses. The wider development also includes leisure and fitness facilities, an education campus, walkable streets and cycling tracks.
The Grand is among several retail projects expected to strengthen Dubai's shopping landscape over the coming months, alongside planned developments including Dubai Square Mall, South Bay Mall, The Villa Square, First Avenue Mall on Jumeirah Road and the forest-inspired Ghaf Woods Mall. Further details on additional retailers, experiences and community programmes at The Grand are expected to be announced in the months ahead.