Lagoona Mall: Move up?!

Every time I see the Lagoona Mall slogan “Move Up”, I know they are talking about social class; the photo itself has a photo of a regular girl who is transformed into a model. The Land Mark Mall started out by targeting the upper classes to shop by creating this European environment in the building. Soon, when Villagio came with its Italian Design, it stole these customers because of the variety of shops, and the more expensive shops in a section called “The VIP section”. Lagoona’s number one attraction “Sugar and Spice” is a great example of Conspicuous consumption, where people in the upper class can show their social status through sitting in a coffee shop.



In Doha, malls are not only a destination to shop, but to eat, hangout, or even watch a movie. Malls owners want customers to spend as much time as possible to dry their money out of their pockets on products, and services. In fact, the rent varies on how much time people spend in a section of the mall. For example, the coffee shop next to the cinema has probably high rent rate because the place there is always crowded. Paul, in Villagio, has a good location everyone sees it as they are going to the cinema, or Carrefoure.

Malls actually speak about your personality in Qatar. You are most probably going to see the same faces every time you go to a mall. “City Centre” aims at the variety, they want as many as possible from all social classes. So does “Villagio”, but they also want more of the upper classes, as you can see by their VIP Section.

For the past couple of years, West Bay (excluding City Centre) has become a very common attraction to the upper classes because they want to drink a cup of coffee that costs 200 riyals ($53), or because they want to have a dinner for two that costs 1000 riyals ($260). I’m not exaggerating the prices, but try and go to the Pearl and have a meal there. Even though the meals are not worth it, but the upper classes love them because it shows that they are from a high social status in the society, and their highbrow activities.



Today in Qatar, the highbrow (upper social class) activities are mainly in West Bay, including Katara, the Pearl, Lagoona Mall, or at any hotel in West Bay. Sheeshas (Hookahs) are considered lowbrow culture in Qatar, but the managers were smart enough to open up a couple of expensive restaurants that offer Sheeshas to the elite, and the upper classes who want to enjoy a smoke in West Bay. Look at Sukar Pasha, a very expensive Sheesha lounge in Karara. Wouldn't you consider this as a conspicuous leisure activity?



Now, I can easily judge you about your social class, from the place you smoke in.