Circle K, an international chain of convenience stores, opened their 28th branch in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday. The store at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers was inaugurated by the United States Consul General, Rob Waller, Mohammed AbdulGhaffar Hussain, Convenience Arabia Board Director, Faisal Al Bannai, Chairman Convenience Arabia LLC (Circle K) and Fahmi Al Shawa, Managing Director, Circle K- UAE.

“We are delighted about the opening of our new store at the Emirates Towers. It is one of Dubai's most prominent business addresses and it is a great place to showcase the quality of our services,” explains Fahmi Al Shawa, Managing Director, Circle K- UAE

The store at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers will serve the daily needs of the business community, visitors, and hotel guests within the two towers. The store offers a wider range of fast moving consumer goods in addition to other services. Circle K stores are renowned for offering efficiency, quality service and convenience all under one roof.

Circle K was founded in 1951 in El Paso, Texas, United States. It is owned by Canadian-based Alimentation Couche-Tard, which operates more than 10,000 convenience stores across the globe, making it one of the largest convenience retailers in the world with sales of US$16.4 billion in 2010.

Brought to the GCC by Convenience Arabia LLC, the concept aims to offers consumers a completely fresh and unique experience across the region. “We will have another 3-4 store openings by the end of this year,” reveals Al Shawa.

Circle K is located on the ground floor of the business tower at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers.

For further information about Circle K, please visit www.circlek.ae

Petit Palais or ‘little palace’, a unique interior design and furniture concept recently opened its doors in Dubai. The concept is the brainchild of Emarati Entrepreneur, Meera Mohamed Al Bowardi. Located in the heart of Jumeirah, Petit Palais, will be home to high-end, quality and hand-crafted European furniture.

Meera was inspired to start an interiors business after spending time decorating her villa in Dubai where she enjoyed selecting different fabrics for curtains, sofas and cushions before deciding to turn her passion into a business concept.

“My concept delivers a complete look to any room so a customer can have the entire room and its contents or they might decide to buy individual pieces”, explains Meera Mohamed Al Bowardi, Founder, Petit Palais.  “We have brands and we also have museum reproductions”, she adds.

Walking through Petit Palais, expect to be amazed by the vibrant colors and supreme craftsmanship of each and every single piece on display.  The candelabras which are made out of bronze and customized by crystals and shades can add height to any entrance or ‘majlis’. The sofas come in different shapes and sizes and some are gilded with gold. These can also be customized with a wide selection of fabrics and cushions available on offer.

Bronze pieces ranging from vases, trays and candle holders come in different colors. The three-tier stands at Petit Palais are tailored for fruits and desserts and they can serve as an impressive piece on almost any dining or coffee table.

Wallpapers including ones from prestigious brands such as De Gournay and Ralph Lauren are also available and can take the look of any room to a whole new level.  If you are looking for a small and unique house-warming gift, you will find a wide selection of porcelain items that you can pick from.

The chandeliers at Petit Palais are crafted with so many different materials and can also be customized. Gilded with gold, the console tables come in different styles including ones with lavish tops like malachite or marble.

Meera spent time in Paris, Geneva and also completed an internship at a jewelry store in Los Angeles before deciding to start her own business. “Paris is undoubtedly the most glamorous city; it is the center of design from fashion to furniture. Geneva and Los Angeles are surprisingly filled with the most beautiful palaces and mansions that date back to the 18TH century”, explains Meera.

Dubai’s very own little palace, Petit Palais, is located on Al-Urouba Road, Villa #68 (opposite the post office on Al Wasl Road, Dubai). For further information, please visit www.petitpalaisinteriors.com or contact 04-3854142.