First Bahrain Real Estate dubs new Janabiya shopping center "El Mercado"

First Bahrain Real Estate Development Co. has chosen the name “El Mercado” for the company’s new shopping center under construction in Janabiya.

El Mercado is a reference to the center’s Spanish-Mediterranean design inspiration.

Construction on the neighborhood retail center in Janabiya is progressing smoothly, and the real estate developers decided now was the time to decide how to brand it. For that, First Bahrain turned to the local Bahraini consultancy MM Brand.

Translating to “the market” in Spanish, El Mercado Janabiya will attempt to live up to that title with a shopping center that facilitates both community and commerce in a beautifully landscaped outdoor space.

First Bahrain CEO Amin Al Arrayed said the company is excited to reveal ‘El Mercado Janabiya’ as the brand.

“We are working hard towards project completion and an opening in Spring 2016,” Al Arrayed said. “We are actively discussing lease agreements with anchor tenants as we work towards delivering a quality mix of goods and services which will meet the needs of the local community.”

When complete, El Mercado Janabiya will be an open-air retail center built on an elevated platform located on the outskirts of the Janabiya neighborhood. With landscaped courtyards, outdoor seating, and soothing water features, the shopping center aims to be the perfect spot for families and friends to relax, shop, and dine.

The market will be anchored by a major supermarket which will provide the full range of daily necessities on top of the retail outlets, cafes and restaurants that will be on offer at El Mercado. The ground floor will feature a street-side cafe and a drive-through fast food restaurant. There will also be 160 covered parking spaces for quick entry and exit.

“While the focus has been on securing the anchor tenants first, the leasing process is now being expanded to include signing leases with individual shops,” First Bahrain’s Business Development Manager, Khalid Shaheen, said. “El Mercado Janabiya has already received many letters of interest from well-known brands and we will be working to finalize our key tenant relationships in the coming weeks.