Women’s boulevard: The oldest market in Jeddah

The women’s market in Jeddah witnessed modest beginnings, but today boasts 150 stalls and a vibrant culture within its female-only walkways. The market is located in a southern residential area next to the Prince Fawaz neighborhood. 
The market is situated in an area that lacks basic services including lighting, hygiene standards and paved streets. 
Women from the neighborhood and other visitors used to gather in the market to meet and talk. 
Gatherings eventually got bigger and kiosks and small shops opened up. Shops sold food and beverages to women and children, especially since the market is some distance from residential areas.
The area rapidly turned into a major commercial area that caters to all what women need, thanks to the various nationalities that visit the market and the customs of different tribes that are apparent inside the shops.
The market sells traditional food as well as other essentials. Women can find whatever they want here without having to rely on their husbands and sons for transport.
Arab News toured the boulevard, which is now known as the women’s market. 
These women have chosen the back street of the Prince Abdul Majid neighborhood and turned it into their own business hub.
No men are found in the market and women begin gathering after afternoon prayers until 10 p.m.
The market then developed from small female-owned stalls into a number of kiosks and small shops.  All the workers here are Saudi women, who sell traditional food, accessories, female textiles, cosmetics, bags and other products. 
More than 80 percent of the market’s products are made by women in their homes.
Um Faleh, one of the sellers alongside the boulevard, said the market began operating nine years ago, with several women selling simple and traditional meals, such as “balelah,” fried potatoes, roasted nuts and Arabic sweets such as “basbousa” and “kunafa.” 
“More and more visitors began visiting the market as it expanded,” Um Faleh said.
The market was not initially set up for financial gain. It was simply a venue where women would gather for exchanging recipes or practicing other activities. Women would bring food as a sign of hospitality, which later developed into selling activity at low prices.
Um Fahad, an eastern perfumes seller, said the market is a good place to buy and sell, adding that it enables ladies to use their time and skills constructively.
“The market is still small and lacks many basic services. It needs support from government entities like the Jeddah Municipality and the Saudi Electric Company to help it grow and help women become productive members of society,” she added.
Um Tawfiq, who owns a sweets and bread stall, said the boulevard is in need of cleaning and reorganization. People, she said, throw food wrappers and leftovers at the back of the boulevard, which then rots and creates a stench. 
Um Fayez, from Abha, comes to visit her sister, who owns a stall selling handcrafts and female accessories. 
Abdulaziz Al-Ghamdi, an official spokesman for the Jeddah Municipality, said the bad hygiene situation in the boulevard is caused by the increasing number of stalls and kiosks, as well as the increasing number of visitors. 
He said Jeddah Municipality would solve the problem by sending a team to clean up the market with proper equipment on a daily basis. 
He said waste containers would be provided to the market and called on visitors to collect garbage in especial bags until the municipality provides the containers. 
Al-Ghamdi said that electricity problem would be solved in coordination with Jeddah’s electricity authorities, adding that there are now around 150 stalls and kiosks at the market compared to a mere 40 stalls in the past. This has created problems in space allocation. 
He said the municipality decided to grant each woman a license for taking up four meters per stall, but disagreement between owners about the size of the kiosks delayed the issuance of permits.