Tim Hortons in Oman... an update

I've blogged about Timmies quite a few times in the last year, most notably my many-months scoop on the news that Tim Hortons was coming to Oman before the Times of Oman published the news ;)

Well the very nice, but slow to start new mall; Muscat Grand Mall, was supposed to be the location for the first Tim Hortons outlet in Oman, after a store in Muscat City Center was bumped for another brand. Well it seems that there was a legal tussle between Apparel Group (the franchise owner of Tim Hortons in the Middle East) which has been resolved - but has delayed the opening of the branch in MGM.

Now there are still plans to open the MGM branch "later this year" but the news today is that the first Time Hortons branch to open in Oman will now be at the Muscat City Center main entrance, where the Birkenstock store is (I understand) - and it should be open by the middle of July, or before.

And you can not blame the owner for wanting to open in MCC first... I was there yesterday at 4pm and even the top parking lot was nearly full, and the mall itself was heaving! In contrast, MGM was busy with a different set of people - in gym shoes, walking laps around the mall, which I think has become one of the top reasons people go to MGM currently.

le fin.