Majid Al Futtaim is closing the Mall of the Emirates branch of THAT Concept Store, the UAE-born retail format it created, as the Dubai shopping centre undergoes a Dh5 billion transformation. The group has not given a closing date or set out clearly what lies ahead for the brand, but said the space will be put to new use as the mall is reshaped.
In a statement to Gulf News, Majid Al Futtaim said: “THAT’s footprint will be redeployed to support this bold new vision.” The company said the mall will be reimagined as a next-generation lifestyle destination, a shift that forms part of a $1.3 billion expansion. It added that it would honour the legacy of THAT as Mall of the Emirates enters its next chapter.
THAT opened in 2021 as a multi-brand concept that mixed established and emerging regional and international labels across fashion, beauty, art and interiors.
The store was designed around discovery and personalisation, and offered a beauty hub for women, a grooming station for men, gift wrapping, personal tailoring and private shopping. The group described it as having played a distinctive role in the region’s contemporary luxury market. Its website remains open, selling a curated range of niche fashion, beauty and lifestyle products, and is running a sale of up to 70 per cent off selected items.
The wider overhaul of Mall of the Emirates was announced in 2025. Majid Al Futtaim has committed Dh5 billion to turn the property into a destination built around experiences across retail, dining, wellness, entertainment and culture. The plans add 20,000 square metres of retail space and 100 new stores in the luxury, fashion and lifestyle categories. Dh1.1 billion has already been set aside for a luxury wellness club, a cultural hub, a dining precinct and infrastructure upgrades.
Several new elements are already taking shape. The Hangout, an indoor and outdoor lifestyle and entertainment precinct with four entertainment concepts and 18 food and beverage outlets, is opening in phases through 2026 and into early 2027. The mall is also bringing in the first Ulta Beauty store in the UAE and the first international Pacsun store. The closure of THAT shows how floor space at one of Dubai’s best-known malls is being reallocated towards the new tenants and leisure attractions that sit at the heart of the redevelopment.
