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Which brands have shut down over the years that had a big following?
The first one that comes to mind is Baker & Spice in the old Souk Al Bahar. That place had a real following for their sourdough and farm-to-table approach before they closed that location and scaled way back. Also, does anyone remember when Comptoir 102 in Jumeirah was the go-to for that whole boho chic lifestyle vibe? They shut their doors around 2020 and it felt like the end of an era for that particular crowd. And for a more recent one, Open Flame in JLT had a solid group of regulars who were genuinely surprised when they pulled the plug last year.
oh man, the one that still stings for me is The One&Only Royal Mirage's old beach club vibe before it got all redeveloped. not a brand per se, but that whole era of late 2000s nightlife spots like 360° at JBR or even the original Barasti setup felt massive then poof. also, remember when "Bateel" had a whole cafe chain that just seemed to vanish? their dates are still around but the cafes went dark around 2018 or so. and tbh, the old "Spinneys" supermarkets before they got bought out had a cult following that just evaporated.
Remember that Dubai's a relatively young city, so many brands that had a big following might still exist elsewhere, just not there anymore. Off the top of my head, I'd guess a few smaller, more boutique-style places might have bit the dust. Think high-end fashion or maybe a specific type of restaurant catering to a niche crowd that just didn't stick. Tracking that down requires some serious digging though.
Dubai/Sharjah Road Scam?
damn u basically did a free taxi run to rak. thing is they usually target cars with a single guy driving & look for dubai plates so u look like u got somewhere to be. best move is roll ur window down like two inches, say u already called the cops for them & keep moving, dont even unlock the door
yeah that's a known one on e311 & the sharjah ring road, usually they wave you down near the adnoc or before the rta cameras claiming wallet got lifted. classic play is they ask for a lift to the next emirate then bail once you slow down, sometimes a second guy on a bike is tracking you. next time just call 999 or drop them at the nearest police point, don't let anyone in your car off the highway ngl
The RAK route is the tell. No one genuinely stranded on the ring road needs to get all the way to Ras Al Khaimah, that's a 90 minute drive. These guys work in pairs and the second car picks them up after they hop out, usually somewhere past the Al Sajaa junction or near the ADNOC on E311. If it happens again, tell them you'll drive them to the nearest police station and watch how fast the story changes.