It is a coffee shop twinned with a restaurant and run by a Saudi woman for female customers who are connoisseurs of food and the arts.
Situated on the third floor of the Kingdom Center, R. Lounge, the Coffee Shop, has already become a buzz word among Saudi and expatriate women who come to the center to shop or directly to the coffee shop for a taste of innovative, healthy food or a variety of snacks.
"The R. Lounge is meant to be different. Our motto is to let women enjoy simple pleasures, awaken their passion, and enhance their mind," Sofana, the American-educated designer of the Lounge, told Arab news.
The Lounge, located in the Ladies Kingdom, has a mix of Saudi and expatriate women - from the manager down to the waitresses - thus is playing the dual role of satisfying the physical and recreational needs of Saudi women and providing job opportunities for them.
The guiding spirit behind this venture is Munira Al-Shenaifi, a self-made Saudi businesswoman who already owns five shops, including boutiques, lingerie, flower shop and schools, with three more in the offing.
"This is not all. We believe in change and reinventing ourselves to keep our customers interested in coming back. This we do by displaying works of art, beautiful images and inspiring quotes."
Munira said both Retro and R. Lounge, which opened in April and August this year, have provided an outlet for Saudi women to relax in its rich and cozy ambience. Tastefully designed by her daughter, Sofana, who has a degree in interior architecture from Woodbury University (California), both eateries stand out for the novelty of their design and the workmanship that has gone into it.
"A novel feature of R. Lounge, apart from its design, is the giant TV screen for showing a variety of programs on life, art and culture while soft music playing in the background," Munira said.
She points out both the coffee shop and the restaurant are intended to serve the needs of body and the mind. On display here are books on yoga, an illustrated Family Encyclopedia, poetry, Arabic and English dictionaries, as well as a book on minerals "to inspire people and remind them of nature's beauty and bounty," said Sofana.
She worked closely with the chefs to develop the menu. "Our goal was to let people experience new tastes and healthy food. We also want to present new items for every season. The food is low-fat and nutritious comprising a mix of freshly prepared Arabic and Western cuisine as well as an assortment of dessert and fruit juices."
The proposed art gallery is intended to provide a platform for aspiring female artists. "We want them to display or sell their works of art. We will also organize charity art shows to raise funds for a noble cause, such as the welfare of the handicapped children or orphans. If embassies have similar programs, they can also get in touch with us."
Munira said the starting point of any business enterprise is a penchant for doing business. "The fact that Saudi women have huge deposits (amounting to 20 percent of total deposits according to published reports) lying idle in their bank accounts for years shows that they don't have an aptitude or the frame of mind to do business.
"Moreover, follow-up in any business is of crucial importance. In my own case I noticed that whenever I go abroad and don't keep track of my business, it suffers a setback. I learned this lesson some time ago and have since become careful," she said.
She describes herself as a self-made businesswoman who is trying to learn all the time. "Whenever I find time, I read books on business management or other related subjects. The important thing is to stay tuned to your business line and keep your eyes and ears open for new business opportunities as they come along."
Her other suggestion is that the government needs to simplify the licensing procedures in order to encourage Saudi women to enter various business sectors. The government should address Saudi women's concerns and act expeditiously, she adds.
— Arab News Review 13 November 2003
