The well-known Abu Dhabi business has stood tall for over fifty years…

If you’ve ever passed by, or stopped at the Cairo Textiles Showroom in Al Danah, you’ll understand why it’s been selected as one of Abu Dhabi’s urban treasures.

The landmark retail business, whose story began in 1969, is one of the oldest establishments in the capital and has existed since even before the formation of the UAE. Today, the Cairo Textiles Showroom builds on its legacy by stocking a diverse range of cottons, wools, silks, linen and more, with multiple generations of families in the capital flocking to the business.

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The Cairo Textile Showroom has rightly earned its standing as an icon of heritage in the emirate, and has been nominated as one of Abu Dhabi’s urban treasures. The capital’s ‘Urban Treasures’ project also comprises a selection of classic eateries that have been around for three, four or even more decades, as well as legacy businesses dealing in jewellery, handicrafts, trading, textiles and more.

Helmed by the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT), the project has conferred a special status upon select retail stores, restaurants and other long-serving businesses in the capital that were established before the year 2000. The project aims to highlight, preserve and promote these businesses, which formed an important part of Abu Dhabi and the UAE before gigantic strides in modernisation catapulted the nation to unfathomable heights.

Over 20 cultural establishments have made the cut, with nominations from the public driving the project. These establishments have stood the test of time, illuminating the commercial landscape of the capital through highs and lows alongside a near-unrecognizable evolution. Crucially, they have contributed to the cultural identity of Abu Dhabi, and truly capture the essence of the communities that have existed, flourished and evolved over generations in the capital.

The Urban Treasures project adds on on Abu Dhabi’s dedicated push aimed at preserving its cultural identity. The DCT also announced the protection of 60 Abu Dhabi modern heritage sites earlier this year, with many of our favourite landmarks in the capital being featured.