Borders awards GCC franchise

US book retailer Borders Group opening a chains of stores in the Gulf Cooperation Council region through a franchise agreement with the Dubai-based Al Maya Group. The openings started in December with the launch of a 16,000sqft outlet in Dubai's Mall of Emirates, stocking 65,000 book titles in English and Arabic, plus magazines, newspapers, stationery and a Starbuck Coffee seating area.

Al Maya Group owns Al Maya supermarkets, and operates the UAE outlets of UK department store brand BHS. Among the new store openings the group has confirmed there will be a location in Muscat, Oman.