Behind the Scenes: How Merex Investment Has Shaped Dubai’s Top Retail Destinations
Behind some of Dubai’s most successful lifestyle destinations is a disciplined, future-focused approach to ownership and operations. Merex Investment, a leading investment company in Dubai, plays a central role in shaping how mixed-use and beachfront destinations perform, evolve, and remain relevant in a fast-moving market.
Through strategic asset management in Dubai, Merex Investment ensures each destination is continuously refined from tenant mix and design direction to guest experience and long-term value creation.
Today, Merex Investment manages 300+ outlets across three lifestyle destinations, maintaining 100% leasing across the portfolio, a clear reflection of effective asset management in Dubai and strong tenant demand.
A Portfolio Built on Performance and Curation
Merex’s destinations are designed as living ecosystems rather than static retail assets. Each location is curated to balance commercial performance with experience, a hallmark of excellence.
Across its destinations, visitors encounter a strong mix of globally recognised and regionally loved brands that anchor each location’s identity. From City Walk’s urban dining and lifestyle mix, to The Beach JBR’s beachfront leisure appeal, and J1 Beach’s premium dining concepts, the portfolio reflects Merex Investment’s expertise in the region.
Destination Overview
A contemporary urban destination blending retail, dining, wellness, hospitality, and residential living into one integrated environment.
City Walk demonstrates Merex Investment’s strength in asset management through its depth in categories, mixed-use planning, and continuous reinvestment. With more than 220 brands across retail, automotive, wellness, office, and F&B, including favourites like Allo Beirut, Nola, Mythos, Brass Monkey, Massimo’s Italian, and Urth Caffé, the destination supports both commercial resilience and community engagement.
A relaxed beachfront destination along the Arabian Gulf, The Beach JBR offers a vibrant mix of dining, entertainment, retail, and leisure experiences for residents and tourists alike. Among its standout offerings is Pavilion at The Beach JBR, an all-year-round, climate-controlled dining destination housing six licensed, sea-view restaurants, alongside popular favourites such as Zou Zou, Eat Greek Kouzina, and The Cheesecake Factory.
The Beach JBR benefits from Merex’s experience in managing tourism-driven assets through adaptive leasing strategies and regular tenant upgrades. Its year-round relevance underscores the value of active asset management in high-footfall coastal areas of Dubai.
Dubai’s luxury Riviera and premier beachfront dining destination.
J1 Beach represents the premium end of Merex’s portfolio, where design, tenant curation, and experience delivery align with international luxury benchmarks. The destination exemplifies Merex’s leadership in property asset management in Dubai, particularly in luxury and premium standout concepts such as African Queen, Bâoli Dubai, Gigi Rigolatto, Sakhalin, Gitano, and Sirene Beach by Gaia.
What Sets Merex Destinations Apart
Across all assets, Merex applies a consistent strategy focused on long-term performance:
- Design-inspired, lifestyle-led environments
- Curated mixes of dining, retail, and entertainment
- Community-centric destination planning
- Seamless accessibility and visitor convenience
These principles enable Merex, as a trusted investment company in Dubai, to remain relevant in an increasingly competitive retail and lifestyle landscape.
2025 Portfolio Milestones
As we wrap up the year and step into 2026, Merex Investment welcomes over 20 new brands across City Walk and The Beach JBR as part of its ongoing leasing and diversification strategy. With 99% occupancy at City Walk and 100% occupancy at The Beach JBR, the expansion builds on strong momentum driven by proactive asset management in Dubai.
At City Walk, recent and upcoming openings include international and regional brands such as iSTYLE, Market by Scarlett’s, Bateel, and Amali Properties, as well as new wellness, fashion, and lifestyle concepts that enhance the destination’s dynamic urban offering. Recent F&B additions such as Wagamama, Chipotle, and Raising Cane’s have further strengthened the mix, while new automotive entrants, including Arcfox and AWR Electric Mobility, add depth to its growing mobility cluster.
Meanwhile, The Beach JBR continues to build on its reputation as a premier beachfront lifestyle destination, expanding its dining, retail, and entertainment mix with globally recognised brands, including Chipotle, alongside new concepts such as Massimo’s Italian Restaurant, the Liverpool FC Store, Replay Karaoke Lounge, and The Sports Bar at La Mezcaleria.
Together, these developments reflect Merex Investment’s continued focus on evolving its portfolio in line with changing consumer demand, reinforcing the long-term relevance of its Dubai assets.
Recognition and Industry Leadership
Merex Investment was recognised with eight awards at the MECSR MENA Awards, spanning development, specialty leasing, and marketing excellence.
Design & Development
- GOLD – J1 Beach: Design & Development Award – New Development
Specialty Leasing
- GOLD – City Walk Scentscape: NOI Enhancement
Marketing
- GOLD – Go Running Wild at City Walk – Experiential Marketing
- GOLD – J1 Beach: The Riviera Reimagined – Integrated Marketing
- GOLD – Vision to Vibe: J1 Beach Comes to Life – Strategic Communications
- SILVER – A Day in the Life at City Walk: A Social Series – Digital-First & Influencer
- SILVER – City Walk Meets DanceTok – Experiential Marketing
- SILVER – Beats on The Beach – Experiential Marketing
In addition, J1 Beach received the ‘Most Innovative F&B Concept’ award at the Retail & Leisure International (RLI) Awards, reinforcing Merex Investment’s position as a leader in destination-led asset management in Dubai and its commitment to delivering world-class culinary, leisure, and lifestyle experiences.
Beyond Commercial Performance
Merex’s approach extends beyond leasing and footfall through initiatives that reflect a broader, more responsible model of asset management in Dubai, one that prioritises community engagement, wellbeing, and meaningful cultural connection alongside commercial performance.
City Walk Pinktober Screenings: In partnership with Friends of Cancer Patients, City Walk hosted Pinktober film screenings to raise breast cancer awareness and encourage community-led dialogue on health and wellbeing, completing close to 2,000 screenings in October.
Basketball-Led Community Activations:
City Walk was announced as the official supporting partner of Dubai Basketball, extending game-day energy beyond the court. Running through the current season and into 2026, the partnership enhances the fan experience with activations and special game-day offers. As Dubai continues to cement its reputation as a leading destination for world-class sports and entertainment, the partnership between Dubai Basketball and City Walk sets a new standard for immersive fan engagement.
J1 Beach partnered with D-Marin to offer guests a seamless arrival by sea. Through the new J1 Beach Anchorage Zone, private and charter yachts were given access to anchor offshore and enjoy effortless access to one of Dubai’s most iconic beachfront destinations, upholding world-class standards of comfort and hospitality.
Shaping the Future of Dubai’s Lifestyle Destinations
Through disciplined strategy, continuous reinvestment, and experience-driven planning, Merex Investment continues to redefine what successful retail destinations look like in Dubai.
As a leading investment company in Dubai, Merex demonstrates how thoughtful asset management and forward-thinking can create destinations that perform commercially, connect with communities, and remain relevant for the long term.
