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Stars'n'Bars opens its doors in Abu Dhabi (1)
2010-11-11 12:32
What:
Stars'n'Bars Abu Dhabi
Where: Yas Island
If you're off to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend, there's only one place to have lunch
A landmark of the Monaco entertainment scene,
Stars'n'Bars - founded in Monaco seventeen years ago by Kate Powers and Didier Rubiolo - is opening two new restaurants in the United Arab Emirates.
The original Stars'n'Bars started life in an abandoned warehouse on Port Hercule, and rapidly grew into the three-floor entertainment complex familiar to all who come to Monaco, especially for sporting events such as the
Monaco Grand Prix and the
Monaco Yacht Show.
Much of its success comes down to its location and design: beyond the expansive waterfront terrace is a lively bar with a strong sports theme, supervised children’s playroom and professional race car simulators and extensive games arcade, while upstairs a full-service restaurant specializes in US-style steaks, burgers, and Tex Mex; and a second, 'Fusion on the Port', caters for customers with more of a taste for Asian cuisine.
Its name is more than just a nod to the American national flag; the 'stars' are often there in person, including numerous personalities from the world of sport, music and film for whom S'n'B, - with its wide range of events programming - has become a second home on their visits to the Principality.
This is the business model which its energetic founders hope will carry the flag around the world, starting in the Middle East with the latest incarnation,
Stars'n'Bars Abu Dhabi. Will it work? It certainly should, for one very good reason: its location.
As you can see from the picture, Abu Dhabi's new racetrack and marina were consciously based on the design of their Monaco equivalents, right down to the configuration of the tunnel exiting on to the harbour, and Stars'n'Bars have capitalized on this by mirroring their location in la Condamine. Inside, the similarities continue, with a spacious sports bar and games arcade, and walls covered with celebrity news.
The new Stars'n'Bars is unashamedly a window into Monaco's world,
celebrating not only the spirit of international sports and culture but
also Monaco news, events, charities and
activities, including a focus on Prince Albert II and his leading role
in environmental protection (these new restaurants are nothing if not
green!).
Like their namesake, the new restaurants (a Dubai branch will
open shortly) take children seriously. The family-orientated
franchise set great store by their future customers, offering
birthday parties, attractive healthy meals and supervised play areas
with toys,
art activities, movies, face painting and video games.
But the Abu Dhabi Stars'n'Bars is much more than simply a carbon copy of the original. It's a very timely concept, with
traffic increasing exponentially between Monaco and the UAE in the year 2009-10, and a further rise expected this year. There's no question that Stars'n'Bars is leading the way in cementing the important financial arrangements between the two countries. Among the new
marketing concepts, which will 'connect' the restaurants is the
creation of an internet TV link, whereby diners can view and even
communicate with their counterparts 3000 miles away!
Stars’n’Bars also intends to offer special promotions and competitions to encourage diners in
both countries to enjoy the S'n'B experience when travelling between the
two locations.