Once in a while my dad can be sweet-talked into driving to far off malls and shops like Rimal and IKEA... so we decided to check out Al Othaim Mall which was near the area (Exit 16). Don't be put off by it's name. It's not one big Othaim grocery... it's actually a very nice mall with a roller coaster, skating rink and rides on the top floor. The shops are not bad either, as you'll find most brands like H&M and Centrepoint there. It's kind of a mix of European brands and Shola-esque boutiques. So you'll find Evans on one side and then an Oud stall on the other.
But what excites me about Othaim Mall is not the brand boutiques but a specialty shop called Daiso Japan. The shop sells quirky Japan-made products from toys to household items like drawer partitions and portable fans. It's like the "88 Shops" in Manila... but in Riyadh. :P
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| Daiso Japan is on the lower ground floor. It's near F&F and Kipling. |
I was so excited I was literally jumping around stalls and saying "ohhhh, ahhhh...." like a kid in a candy store.
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| At first glance, it looks like a dowdy shop for household items, but look closely and you'll find.... |
It's a nice place to shop for things for your house or accommodation. You'll find matching dinner sets and decors at reasonable prices.
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| Stuff to help you wash, press and store clothes. (Pardon the blurry photo, I was really jumping excitedly hehe) |
I am really a fan of Japanese products because of their ingenuity. Can you imagine, they even designed things like rubber balls to get rid of static in your dryer and a mat that helps you fold clothes like an SM sales clerk!
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| Toys for pranks! |
So far this is one of the best gag stores I've seen! There are some at riyalin shops but you're always wary if they actually work because of the packaging...
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| Kawaii! Doll's Kimono! |
What can I say, I love dolls! I was sorely tempted to buy this mini kimono for my Pullip doll and I had to remind myself that I was saving my moolah for my bakasyon grande...
Here are some more neat-O stuff that I probably should stay away from.... ahahah...
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| Glow-in-the-dark bracelets (L) and drawer partitions (R) |
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| Battery operated fans! You pull off the top lid, switch it on and the soft "blades" twirl enough to give you a slight breeze. |
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| If that's not enough, you can get this bigger CLIP ON version and clip it to you desktop monitor. LOL. hindi ko kineri... :)) |
The price range is around 5 - 30 SR... depending on how big the item is... a lot like the riyalin price range. I'm not sure for the really big items because I got distracted and didn't really check. Hehehe...
I admit, I'm a sucker for these things and I'm so glad that there's a shop like this in Riyadh! I love novelty items. Here, my imagination runs wild! (like Sundrenched when she's at Jarir! Hehe...) Babalik ako! Promise! ^_~
xoxo,
Sampaguita Pride
8 had something to say:
May Japanese store din po sa Hayat Mall... i do not know how to tell where it was but na sa taas yun eh... hehe. :]
meron po bang bilihan ng japanese food products like nori, and the like??? May food fest po kasi kami at school and we really need to find a source since japanese cuisine ang naassign sa amin...tnx po sa lahat....
meron po bang store na pwedeng bilhan ng japanese products? importante po kasi ee...
May isa pa pong Japanese store sa Hayat Mall and Near Ikea. Its called Epo.
btw, may alam po ba kayong store kung saan makakabili ng kimono?
What exit is this? Please I need answer quick =) and why is it when i went to exit 13 othaim mall they don't have that stuff that is showing in here.(the pictures) why is that?
@Fatmex Learner: It is in Othaim Mall in Exit 13. And if you look at the date of the entry, this was published in 2011. It is a huge probability that the items are no longer available. Thank you.
Pero bakit po noong pumunta ako ng othaim mall exit 13 wala po yang mga nakalagay sa pictures..?bkit po at kailan po ba sila mag sasale?ang gaganda po ksi ng mga products nila kaso mahal! Ung mga eraser tag 7s.r, e paano po ung bumili doon ng mga school suplies lahat tag 7 s.r at 9s.r?instead na 100s.r lang gagastusin naging 300s.r??un lang po nakaka turn off sakin pag pupunta ako doon.at bakit po wala silang mga food products?please reply po! =) ♥♥
@Fatmex Learner: Like we said, it is quite possible that they are no longer carrying the items that we featured in the entry. It has been almost 2 years since we published the entry on Daiso.
Most items in this store are priced at 7 riyals (the same way that Japan Home Store in the Philippines has P88 items). You have to be very wise in buying here because there are some stuff that are worth the 7 riyals price tag and some are not like the erasers you want. Try Abu Riyalin stores for cheaper alternatives. Or the Arabic bookstores for school supplies.
Daiso does not carry food products. If you want Japanese food stuff, try the Japanese/Korean Store in Olaya.
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