Category: Gossip & Rumors

This news hasn’t been confirmed yet but according to a reader and a contact at Alshaya, there are currently rumors circulating that Caribou Coffee (Alsayer) no longer have the rights to The Cheesecake Factory and that Alshaya are now looking to open the actual Cheesecake Factory restaurant (not just cheesecakes) and are shopping around for a location on the Gulf Road. Although its currently just a rumor it would make sense since Alshaya have been on a roll acquiring all these American chains recently (Bath & Body Works, Victorias Secret, Pottery Barn, PF Chang, Shake Shack etc..).

Speaking of Caribou Coffee, I got this in the email today which is related to [This] previous post:

Happy Thursday Kuwait! Free coffee, donuts & goodies for the first 1000 BlackBerry users today at Caribou Coffee. You can take advantage from 10am – 4pm at CBK and Al Raya AND between 4pm – 10pm at Avenues, 360, Salhiya and Al Kout. You’ll also have a chance to win a new BlackBerry, but make sure you get in early.

The beautiful new McLaren is currently being exhibited privately somewhere in Kuwait. The price starts at KD60,000 and goes up depending on the options. If anyone can get me an invite to check the car out please email me!

Update: Turns out the McLaren dealer will be Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive Company who are also the dealers for BMW, Land Rover and the Mini. The car is also currently being displayed in private at Marriott Al Raya. iLSuL6ana was lucky enough to get an invite!

Update2: Here is a video of the McLaren from todays event via iLSuL6ana

[YouTube]

Update3: And here is a picture taken by a reader

I was excited when I first found out Obika was opening and then even more excited when they did but for some reason I never ended up going there. I guess not many people did either since I heard they’re closing down. Too bad since it seemed like a healthy place to eat.

A reader emailed me asking if it’s true that if Kuwait wins in tonight’s game that tomorrow will be a day off. I hadn’t heard about this and was wondering if it’s true?

I just found out that Shake Shack is opening in Dubai in March while Kuwait still doesn’t have a launch date! This absolutely sucks. It’s the worst food related news I’ve heard this year even surpassing the mechanically separated chicken post.

Last month I posted about how Americana is bringing Red Lobster to Kuwait. Well I just found out the first location is scheduled to open up in April 2011. No word on when Oliver Garden will be opening up yet.

As I previously mentioned, Gucci shut down in Villa Moda and are opening up at 360 Mall. Well it looks like the store is practically done and ready to open any day now.

So today I wore my Shake Shack t-shirt to the gym and on my way I took a picture and posted it on my twitter. To my surprise, one of my followers on twitter replied back telling me that Shake Shack will be opening in place of Le Pain Quotidien at Avenues. I quickly SMS’d my Alshaya insider to confirm and it turned out to be true.

Of course I was upset since I’ve been promoting Shake Shack ever since I first found out they were opening in Kuwait and instead of getting the information first from my insider, I ended up getting it from a twitter follower. My insider did tell me though that they were planning to have the branch open by end of the year and that I would get more information regarding that next week.

I also found out two more things, one is that they’re planning to open a second branch of P.F. Chang’s next to Al Corniche Club. My guess is they will probably open up where I Love Souk used to be located. Finally, I also found out that Pinkberry will be opening their Marina Mall branch before Eid next month. That’s everything I got for now.

Noticed today they closed up an area next to IKEA, I am guessing this is the location of the second Pinkberry branch.

Update: I just got a confirmation, this is the new location of the second Pinkberry. Nothing still on Shake Shack.

They’ve closed down the Italian restaurant (Italo’s) that was located in the area on top of GAP over looking Lorenzino and there looks like a lot of construction taking place there. I wonder if that’s where Shake Shack will end up? I guess it could although there would be a problem. The way Shake Shack works is you wait in line to order your burgers and then you go find a place to sit. Originally the Italian restaurants kitchen was located to the side near Mango which means if they apply the same Shake Shack system here then you will have a line of people waiting in the main passage way causing a lot of traffic. But, the idea of having the seating area separate from the kitchen and main ordering area works like Shake Shack. I guess we will have to wait and see.

This does go against what I previously had heard which is that they are planning to open Shake Shack in front of PF Chang. The restaurant will be built where the elevator currently is and the elevator shaft will be used for the ventilation (kinda like a chimney). The seating will be in the open.

Update: OK so it seems Italo’s Cafe was closed down to make way for Cafe Meem. BUT, they had to give up the kitchen location next to Mango. So now I am assuming the space next to Mango that was used by Italo’s as their kitchen is now going to be the second Pinkberry location.

I got an email from a tipster (which was confirmed by another source of mine) telling me that Alshaya have acquired two new food chains to bring into Kuwait. The first chain is called Potbelly Sandwich Works which sells submarine sandwiches similar in style to Subway except supposedly better. The second chain is called Texas Roadhouse which specializes in steaks and has a western theme. I hadn’t heard of these two places until a few moments ago but I guess most of you will be glad the two chains are not burger joints. On the other hand I am still trying to find out some kind of information regarding the status of Shake Shack.

I was also told by another source that Pinkberry will not be opening in the Casamaroc location at Avenues like I had previously mentioned since the owner has refused to sell the place. But, they will still be opening a second branch of Pinkberry in that area.

I found out Gucci recently closed down their store at Villa Moda. What I heard is that Gucci is now back with Sheikh Majed who is relaunching them at 360 Mall. Sheikh Majed founded Villa Moda back in 1992 which became so successful that it was taken over by Dubai around 2 years ago. Sheikh Majed was then outed from Villa Moda or he left not sure but in any case it seems he’s now taken hold of the Gucci brand.

I also heard Prada will be leaving Villa Moda and heading with Chalhoub Group who currently have Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton and Nina Ricci.

I just found out Pinkberry will be opening two new locations. They’re opening a second smaller location in Avenues in place were CasaMaroc is, near Pottery Barn Kids. This should help reduce the long lines at their main location opposite Dean & Deluca. The second location is going to make Nat happy since it’s near our house. They’re opening a new location in Marina Mall, in place of the recently closed down Waterlemon branch. That should turn out to be a pretty big location.

Personally, I’m still waiting till they introduce biscuit cones.

Remember my post on the Embassy of Sound party? Well I found another video of another one of their parties. A DJ that came to Kuwait filmed his stay here and then posted the video on YouTube for all of us to enjoy. He stayed at the Hilton, had a fridge full of booze, ate some shawerma and then partied. Enjoy it before they take the video down. [YouTube]

Back in December when Shake Shack announced they was were opening up in Kuwait I had been told they were going to open up at the Avenues in the first half of the year. Well the first half of the year is nearly over and there still isn’t any sign of Shake Shack. According to my insider, Shake Shack was originally planned to open in the Benihana location but that plan was scrapped and now it still hasn’t been decided where in the Avenues Shake Shack will be opening. My guess is they’re looking for a prime location like PF Chang and Pinkberry. On a different note Pottery Barn Kids is going to open near The One and X-Cite.

Update: Ok a friend of mine told me that he heard that they are planning to open up in front of PF Chang. The restaurant will be built where the elevator is and the elevator shaft will be used for the ventilation (kinda like a chimney). The seating will be in the open in front of the restaurant. Although its hard to believe this actually makes a lot of sense since it would end up looking a lot like the Shake Shack in NY (picture above).