The Evolution of City Walk: From Concept to Dubai’s Premier Lifestyle Destination
When City Walk first opened its doors in Dubai in 2013, it wasn’t just another retail centre, it was a design-inspired lifestyle destination in Dubai, offering an elegant pedestrian experience unlike anything else in the region. Inspired by European high streets like Oxford Street or the Champs-Élysées, it introduced a new model to the city: one that blended outdoor charm with curated indoor experiences. And while it had its challenges, including the realities of Dubai’s climate and shifting footfall trends, it never stopped evolving.
A Consistent Story of Evolution
City Walk has always grown in chapters. But one of its most defining moments came post-pandemic, when the destination confronted a stark reality: a 40% occupancy rate and reduced daytime engagement.
Rather than viewing challenges as setbacks, Merex Investment saw an opportunity for reinvention. Across over 900,000 square feet, we reimagined City Walk into distinct lifestyle zones that welcome people all day, every day. It wasn’t just about boosting footfall, it was to build a destination for tomorrow’s Dubai.
Only 6–7% of the original retail tenants were retained. In their place, a bold re-tenanting strategy welcomed new categories:
- Talabat set up its regional headquarters
- Canadian University Dubai opened its campus onsite
- Architects, creatives, and students turned City Walk into an all-day, all-week ecosystem
The result? Occupancy surged from 41% to 98% by 2023, driven by a tenant mix chosen for its audience along with a major demographic shift. More than 55% of City Walk’s audience today is aged 18–30, and the destination buzzes with youthful energy across mornings, afternoons, and evenings.
Designed for the Way People Move
City Walk is spread across a large urban area of two districts, City Walk, covering 632,055.88 square feet, and The Boulevard at City Walk, spanning 304,444.25 square feet. With this scale comes the responsibility of making every square foot count.
Understanding the layered nature of its audience, from residents and daily office-goers to students, tourists, and weekend wanderers, the team implemented a smart, intuitive zoning system. Each zone is designed around lifestyle intent, with multiple access points that make navigation seamless and natural.
Whether you’re a local grabbing coffee before work, a tourist seeking culinary experiences, or a student stopping by between classes, City Walk Dubai offers a district that speaks your rhythm. Each area reflects a unique personality and comes equipped with tailored features.
A Culinary World of Its Own
From the very beginning, City Walk carved out a distinct identity through food, defined not by trend-chasing, but by thoughtful curation. Whether you were after something casual, refined, or experimental, it offered a table for every appetite.
Favourites like Daikan Izakaya, Mythos Urban Greek Eatery, and L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele helped establish City Walk Dubai as a go-to for Dubai’s culinary explorers. And most recently, the ambitious arrival of Myata Platinum, a multisensory space blending fine dining with immersive design. Its Guinness World Record attempt for being the world’s largest 3D printed restaurant isn’t just a stunt; it captures City Walk Dubai’s core philosophy: innovation that feels personal. And perhaps nowhere is that more apparent than at the C2 Licensed District.
C2: A Licensed District Built on Taste
C2 is City Walk’s licensed dining district, a curated loop of brasseries, terraces, bars, and speakeasies that evolve from relaxed afternoons to electric nights. More than a restaurant zone, it’s a lifestyle corridor that caters to discerning tastes and intentional evenings.
Part of a broader transformation, C2 was born from the idea of creating “pockets of power”, themed districts tailored to specific experiences with venues like Brass Monkey bringing grown-up play with bowling and arcades, Nola Bijou channeling New Orleans with Southern bites, and Mythos serving soulful Greek flavours in a heritage-rich setting.
Together, these concepts give C2 its own rhythm, a story that moves with you, feeds your curiosity, and always leaves room for one more drink, one more bite, one more memory.
Beyond Gastronomic Adventures
City Walk has always extended its invitation beyond the plate. Over the past few years, that invitation matured, blending food, fashion, wellness, entertainment, and education into a holistic, experience-led lifestyle destination in Dubai.
-
Movement, Mindfulness, and Modern Wellness
-
Fashion That Moves With You
-
Entertainment that Lives Loud
-
Where Sports Meet the Streets
The rise of the wellness economy brought in a younger, purpose-driven crowd. Strategic changes in tenant mix saw the arrival of major health and fitness brands such as Adidas, Lululemon, The Giving Movement, and HELT Gym. Today, City Walk Dubai houses 4 gyms and 33 salons and wellness centres, a response not just to global fitness trends but to local lifestyle shifts.
Concept studios like Fitness Zone, with over 200 classes, and Drop10, with 35-minute high-intensity circuits, reflect an environment where wellness is deeply integrated.
Retail at City Walk Dubai has also matured. No longer anchored in impulse buys, the mix now caters to purposeful, destination-driven shoppers. From flagship athleisure at Lululemon and The Given Movement to curated fashion at Les Benjamins and The Editors Market, the City Walk shops experience is intimate, expressive, and aligned with the audience’s evolving values.
This re-tenanting strategy was part of a larger reimagining of what City Walk Dubai could be, a shift from retail-heavy planning to experience-first zoning, with meaningful brands rather than mass fillers.
Entertainment has long been at the heart of City Walk. The Coca-Cola Arena, still the Middle East’s largest indoor arena, remains an anchor for large-scale events, while Roxy Cinemas offers an elevated movie-going experience with plush seating and gourmet offerings.
But what’s changed is who’s coming, and when. With ample business spaces and institutions like Canadian University Dubai, the daytime audience has transformed. Office-goers, students, and entrepreneurs now bring life to City Walk from early morning through the evening, making it a true all-day lifestyle destination in Dubai.
2024 marked a bold new move for City Walk as it became a supporting partner of the Dubai Basketball Club, and it couldn’t be a more natural fit. This echoed that City Walk supports local ambition, homegrown talent, and the culture that surrounds sport.
It also reaffirmed what regulars have known for a while: City Walk is about participation, not just observation. You’re not just here to watch. You’re here to belong in a community!
The Heartbeat of a Changing City
Today, City Walk pulses with the rhythms of a diverse city – students, families, tourists, fitness lovers, and creatives all finding something that feels like theirs. It doesn’t try to be everything to everyone. It simply reflects the energy of the people who move through it.
City Walk’s evolution is a reflection of Merex Investment’s vision: purposeful transformation rooted in community, culture, and connection. What makes it exceptional isn’t just how it changed, but why.
