AlMuthanna Complex used to be one of the very few malls in Kuwait when I was growing up and it had some of my favorite places including The Kuwait Bookshop and Hungry Bunny. But for over a decade now it’s been a ghost town of a sort. I heard it had something to do with the fact that the land lease had expired and there was a transition period but that was over 10 years ago. I also heard rumors they were planning to demolish the building as well.
There are just a handful of stores still open in the mall so it’s pretty sad. The complex is located in a great location in the city, it has tons of parking and even the residential apartments are nicely laid out and constructed. If anyone knows what’s going on with the building let me know.
33 replies on “Whats the Story with Al Muthanna Complex?”
AFAIK, the complex is BOT and was leased by KFH. The lease has expired and some say KFH is not giving up the lease and the matter is in courts.
Another BOT that has expired is Souq Sharq.
Let’s hope we don’t have another Showbiz.
Someone was telling me the issue with Showbiz is the government took the land back and the owner in exchange got land in Jahra and built Copthorn Hotel and Resort along with Sulaiyel Jahra and that whole property with the amusement park.
I think the government doesn’t want to do anything with the showbiz land because of the traffic cluster fuck that will happen if they build something there. /s
Land location of showbiz for allocated for a different purpose and not an amusement park because of the change of plan, govt stopped the project.
Soug Sharg has so much potential.
The only thing I miss about Muthanna is the gold plated chandelier from before the invasion and of course, Kuwait Bookshop.
Have some wonderful memories of this complex back in the day. My father used to live in the hotel accomodation quarters adjacent to this complex and I used to always pass through it to hit the gym in the hotel (Le Meridien back in the day). Loved Kuwait Bookshops, Aroy D and a handful of other establishments in there. It’s sad to see this complex in it’s current state… 🙁
The replacement chandelier is such a huge cry from the original that you are better off not having any chandelier at all.
My childhood Memories of going to church every friday by bus and then to Muthana Complex – Future Kid, Then window shop at R/C Store there, followed by picking chips from the Filipino Bakala around the back…… Life was simple back then, and the people so much nicer.
RC store still surprisingly there!
Al Hamar (Kyosho) is still there but the other one has closed down.
I went to the shop and buy things for the house everything good memory and go to Sunday school and go near Kuwait school there
Yoooo true that. Used to play virtua fighter in the future kid arcade. Loved going to muthanna as a kid
So true, i used to do the same. after church would always visit the muthana complex.
I used to go there every weekend in 80’s as my father was working in Hassan Optic. I still go to Sharqiya sport shop in the complex. My friends (mid 40’s) still talks about there memories there when we meet. Memories are good but we should let it go and live the current moments and build new
Same here, my dad used to visit his friend in the antique shop near Hassan Optics, so used to tag along. Super boring but allowed me to spend time walking around the mall and at the bookshop.
Towards the back, up, is where I would buy cassette tapes. It’s also where they would let you hear some of the tapes before buying. I’ll never forget when the dude played Pearl Jams’ first album that was new. Blew my mind.
This mall is very emotional for me since it’s was my first job at Hassan’s optics during 2001 , I enjoyed a lot , I remember the book store , Burger King , the computer shop at the second floor I used to go to this computer shop to use yahoo messenger to chat , hehehehe those days go for ever , also I remember thier was Dry Cleaner first floor , I miss those days
I remember the Burger King that existed in the basement, and a Disney store that lasted until like 2003-2004. Last time I visited was in 2011 to get a new battery for my watch.
good memories, BTW Khyber located next to it was (still is, but dilapidated) famous for it’s chicken tikka. It’s still there atm living it’s past glory.
They better not demolish it! When i was only a year old, my life in Kuwait started at the Muthana Complex.
I still remember those amazing apartments and all the shops i used to stare at in wonder.
Not to mention the time my dad had to stay behind in Muthana to stop Iraqi Soldiers from looting the place.
So many stories and memories.
Kuwait, please don’t 🙁
I live in Muthanna since 1991, and I keep hearing from management all kinds of stories. Latest was 4 years ago; that a public tender will be issued to find a new realtor to run Muthanna complex. Salhia Real Estate was a strong contender for the bid. Later, KFH (Al Enmaa Real Estate) upped their offer in order to keep running the property, and tender was never issued.
The commercial area is almost deserted except for some shoe shops and Hassan’s Optician Co. But the living quarters services are still exceptionally well maintained and in good condition. Rent rates are still very reasonable and parking areas quite big and also well kept.
In spite of the sad state of the commercial areas, there is a very long waiting list for people wanting to rent living space in Muthanna.
Can you give me an idea about the rent and apartment sizes (1 bedroom/2bedroom etc)
The first 10 years I paid KD 300 monthly for a two bedroom apartment. Then, rent was increased by KD 50. So for the past 10 years I am paying KD 350.
For single bedroom apartments (which by the way look inwards and not outward) the monthly rent is KD 250.
There are 3 bedroom apartments which are like Duplex that cost KD 450 per month.
Yeah about the size. Rooms are quite large, like 5×5 meters. And large main bathroom plus second bathroom but without shower or bath tub. Salon and dining area is 7M X 4.8 Meters
I happened to be there last night and felt extremely sad to see how it is now. I wonder what happened to Aroy D people too 🙁
Muthanna opened sometime in the Late 70s / 80s
Imagine the Far Future of the Avenues in 30 to 40 years.
Wow, the amount of memories that I had in this place, it is literally my childhood. My father had a shop there and he used to take me with him every single night, I’d walk around in the mall and go to Future Kid then go have dinner at Hungry Bunny, and if was a good boy maybe some ice cream from Baskin Robins or those super good tiny doughnuts. Then I’d go into a different shop each day just to hangout, they all knew me and knew my father’s shop, and at closing time whichever shop that I was at would call my father, and he would pick me up from there to go home. It’s very sad if it gets demolished, they would be demolishing my childhood.
What was your dads shop????
It was called Child Angel (الطفل الملاك). The shop was for babies supplies such as beds and strollers, It was located in the basement in front of the escalators that are near Hungry Bunny/
I desperately want that kuwait bookstore to return. Does anyone know who the ower is or was?
https://248am.com/mark/information/save-kuwait-bookshops/
I literally spent my childhood there. My uncle used to work in a shop called Teejan. It was a shoe shop located in the basement, at the front left when you get down on an escalator. Burger king, tiny donuts and of course the Future kids. I made some friends who were living in the apartments (Pakistani and an Indian guy) their parents used to work in Le meridien) I hope they are doing well where ever they are. I recently visited while I was going to Jashanmal. So sad to see it in that state, although the smell was same and brought back so many memories.