SOMU blends the old and new: founders
Sadu House and Khaleejesque launch Kilmitain
OBy Chaitali B. Roy
n April 12, Khaleejesque in collaboration with Sadu House launched the Kilmitain series with a talk titled ‘SOMU: A Destruction or Revival?’ at Sadu House at 7:00 pm. The talk featuring Ahmad Al Ghanim and Bader Al Hejailan, founders of SOMU and moderated by Shouag Hayat shed light on the story behind SOMU, the trendiest place in the old souq of Mubarakiya. Kilmitain, like the talk on ‘SOMU’, revealed approaches a topic of interest from a variety of angles and perspectives sparking innovative thinking and action. It presents a unique view that brings awareness to the topic in an attempt to provide information from experts and alleviate some of the misconceptions and increases a general understanding of the subject. “The lecture provides a raw perspective from people who created or are involved with what we are going to talk about,” shared Shouag Hayat, Project Manager, Khaleejeesque. “The plan is to have a monthly lecture series with a break in summer,” she says.
In the talk that followed, Ahmad Al Ghanim and Bader Al Hejailan, two young Kuwaiti entrepreneurs, masterminds behind the brand ‘Thouq’, that started in 2004 as a lifestyle magazine with innovative photography and content shared their experience, struggle and achievements with the project. Under the stewardship of their founders, ‘Thouq’ evolved from a print magazine into a website, design studio, art gallery, concept shop and a limited edition fashion label. Five years ago, the founders of Thouq also became the founders of SOMU in an attempt to preserve, adapt and highlight what they believe is an integral part of Kuwaiti and Khaleeji heritage — the Mubarakiya souq.
Oldest
The well spread out Mubaraiya souq is one of oldest existing markets of the Arabian Gulf. This space managed to escape the destructive forces of time, as well as the sudden and unplanned surge of modernization that Kuwait saw in the eighties during which most of the heritage structures of the country was bulldozed into oblivion making way for modern buildings. Souq Mubrakiya, the oldest market area of Kuwait which housed the old financial district, the main street of old Kuwait, which served as an artery for goods that came into the port and were later sent to Saudi Arabia, Basra and Aleppo, shops that handled international merchandise, the Sheikh’s house, the Majlis, Diwan, the great Friday mosque, Kuwait’s first school and coffee shops, persisted. It held its own until recently when the glittering, glistening air-conditioned malls took over. “More than sixty percent of our population is made up of young people, and all of them could be found wandering inside malls, which has nothing to do with our culture,” Bader Al Hejailan is vehement. “They visited shops that have nothing to do with us. Our aim was to bring these young people to the oldest market in the region. Sadly, a lot of them had no knowledge of Mubarakiya. Many of them had not visited the market.” What began as a self-initiative to find a small intimate space for ‘Thouq’ grew into a makeover for an area of the souq that until the emergence of the two young Kuwaitis had been much neglected.
Search
“The development of ‘SOMU’ was based on our search for a location for the ‘Thouq’ store,” said Ahmad Al Ghanim. The two friends were scouting locations for ‘Thouq’, the first male concept store in the Gulf. “It is the first store in the Gulf that concentrates on male clothing, accessories, pop art, books and sportswear.” Their search and resulting frustration forced them to turn their attention to the old market. A quick reconnoitre of the area revealed hidden potential that appealed to the two entrepreneurs. “We decided to develop the area which was a hidden square,” says Ahmad who landed up buying up the nearby shops and properties for further development. “We redesigned the square and did it quietly without drawing attention to ourselves. We did the flooring, and the landscaping, and later we resold the shops to Kuwaiti entrepreneurs who wanted to start a business that was not a franchise,” informs Ahmad. The aim was to think local and promote local talent.
Today ‘SOMU’ is the node that draws the attention of not only residents but also travellers from abroad, as its fame has spread beyond the shores of Kuwait. The square features an eclectic mix of stores selling food, fashion, lifestyle products, and there is open space where people sit and chat. What the two partners ensured was the preservation of the traditional elements of the old structure while upgrading the general look and feel of the space. “SOMU is a mix of the old and the new. We were adamant about retaining everything that was traditional,” says Ahmed. Sheikha Altaf Al-Sabah, patron and founder of Sadu House and a strong advocate of the preservation of heritage buildings is appreciative of their efforts. When asked about the duo’s attempts at straddling traditional and modernity, she observes, “That is the equation for development that is healthy and real. It is important to retain the traditional aspects that can survive, and fit into the new environment. One should go forward with a very good perspective of where one comes from — that is the key to true development.”