Sharjah Shopping

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Sharjah Gold Center inaugurated in 1996, comprising 44 shops which are considered to be the best gold shops in the UAE in terms of quality, design, and selection.
I haven’t been there because shopping (and gold-shopping, haha!) wasn’t my purpose in that trip.

So many visitors and expatriates to the United Arab Emirates fall in love with the heavy, dark-wood furniture and rich colours in soft furnishings that are so typical for the region. However, most stores (especially in Dubai) are extremely overpriced when it comes to these items, as they fully realize that many people want to avoid the pine-wood forests of IKEA, etc. and instead buy furniture and decorations that reflect the Middle East and nearby subcontinent.

One of the most well-known furniture houses is called Marina Gulf Trading, and although I absolutely love their products I have to say, it's expensive!

So, for many years I'd heard from old, seasoned expatriates about a little gem, tucked-away in the Industrial area of Sharjah called PINKY'S. When the time came for me to finally bid farewell to our "first-apartment-together-cheap-dining-room-table", I decided to head into the unknown and search for this place. It's a bit tricky to find, but *so*worth it!

What to buy: Pinky's specializes in dark-wood furniture - everything from tables to cupboards and wardrobes, chairs and even a drinks bar! They also have a large selection of wrought iron garden lanterns (with or without coloured glass) and all kinds of wonderful decorative items for the home or as a gift for someone special.
This warehouse has been around for many, many years and is a family-run business that imports its goods from workshops in India and some GCC countries.

What to pay: We bought a *huge* dining room table (square, 1,60m x 1,60m) with 8 chairs and the entire set cost 3,200 Dirhams... for this price, you'd barely be able to get a table at the likes of Marina in Dubai!

Openings Hours:
Sundays to Thursdays: 10:00am-01:30pm and 05:00pm-08:30pm.
Fridays & Saturdays: 10:00am-02:30pm.

For those who enjoy shopping, Sharjah offers a great number of souks, the Arabian bazaars where not only great bargains can be had, but where you can have a cultural experience to boot.

Some of the older souks provide a glimpse into another world - and another era - while the newer ones are big and airy with dazzling displays of goods from across the region.

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The (open) secrets to shopping in Sharjah Central Souk are:

- Haggle for half (or even a third or a quarter of) the original price. Case in point, my friend was able to bargain from $150 dollars to $50 dollars for a piece of pewter-framed mirror with turquoise accents.

- Act as if you are not that interested in the item (even if you're dying to take it home!).

- Slowly walk away and wait till the salesguy runs after you and gives you a discount -- even bigger than what you've expected.

A piece of warning though: Not everything that the salesmen say is true. Ergo, not all authentic-looking pieces are real. So beware.

What to buy: * Nice colorful lamps from Morocco, Persia and Turkey at Persian Carpet House & Antiques.
(Abdulla) +971-50-3605315.

* Antique stuff (old compass, telescope, clocks, etc.) from Al Kayali Stores.
(Molabeen) +971-50-5002428.

* Silk shawls and pashminas from Al Khazana.
(Ahmed) +971-50-9380073.

* Crystals, jewels, carpets, etc.

And all the other rare finds from Persia, India, Pakistan, Turkey, etc.

The mall is like all the others of its kind in the Gulf. The main hypermarket Carrefour carries almost everything at very reasonable prices. This visit coincided with parents buying their Back to school supplies so schoolbags, water bottles and school stationery were in evidence.

We had a look at a number of clothing shops where there were reductions, and at a Japanese shop which had some interesting cheap kitchen gadgets.
We met some visiting friends and had a meal in the food court. Not the most nutritious, but fast food is what children want to eat when on holiday. They were then left in the play area for an hour to let the adults shop.
Malls are so convenient with everything under one roof, especially in a country like this where the heat and humidity are horrendous.

What to buy: almost anything/

What to pay: as much as your pocket can tolerate, but usually lessthan at the other Malls

The Sahara Mall has been built within the last 5 years, and lies just inside Sharjah as you drive from Dubai. It is still in a desert area, and so its tent-like form is quite appropriate, though now many high rise buildings are coming up.
Inside it is spacious and has a classier variety of shops than many of the other malls. there are shops selling Arabian perfumes vying with Chanel and other western brands. There are 'antique' shops selling Arab goods, furnishings and clothes. There are wonderful shops with home furnishings [The One] where you can sometimes get real bargains.
Its atmosphere is calmer than the larger Malls.

What to buy: I like the Book Gallery as it has a nice selection of English books. Magrudy's in City Centre, Deira may be larger and be more like a UK bookshop, but the Book Gallery has often been where I actually buy books because the layout makes me feel more relaxed, and I find what I want.

What to pay: A popular paperback book costs about 35 to40 dirhams

The Sharjah City Centre is one of the largest malls in Sharjah. It is home to a large number of shops as well as 19 restaurants in its food court.

It has a large outlet of Carrefour, the supermarket chain.

What to buy: There is a household item-shop called Daiso in the mall very close to the food court, which sells different items imported from China, most of which cost 5 Dirhams.

The Two Dirham shop is right opposite Sharjah Mega Mall and gives you the opportunity to buy those small things that you can need often, but usually wouldn't go a long way to buy them.

What to buy: Similar to Dollar shops in the US or Euro shops in Europe you would find small decoration pieces, hygiene items, toys, stationary and other similar stuff there.

It's actually a quite ideal place to get some really good bargains.

What to pay: 2 Dirhams a piece (you will even get some of the smaller items for just one Dirham)