In the recent past, Bahrain has become a virtual hive of commerce and industry. As a result, a number of high-end shopping malls have mushroomed around the island, housing prestigious brands from many of the world’s swanky fashion capitals.

However, somewhere along the line, amidst all this hype, it was all but forgotten that Bahrain has long been, and remains, a fertile centre for the production of local indigenous goods.

Sensing the imperative need to go back to brass tacks, the Ministry of Social Development set up Capital Mall a stone’s throw away from the Seef Mall. Although diminutive in size compared to its gargantuan compatriot, there is undoubtedly far more depth and relevance to the products stored inside.

Borne of the hard work of local productive families from villages hidden in various pockets of the kingdom, the mall succinctly summarises the wealth of home-grown talent and tradition. Even better is the fact that all proceeds from the sale of these products go directly to the families, considerably hiking up their monthly income.

“Families interested in selling their products at Capital Mall are welcome to come here and fill in a form. Their goods will then be evaluated by a special committee to ensure authenticity. Sometimes people import readymade products from other parts of the GCC and try to pass them off as their own creations, whereas we are only interested in genuine handmade indigenous products and producers,” said Fatima AlDaylami, chief of family development.

Inaugurated by HH Shaikha Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa in March 2008, the ground floor of the mall is dedicated to locally produced merchandise, including household items such as ceramics, wood carvings, glass paintings, bukhoor, wooden chests and furniture; fashion accessories such as jalabiyas, abayas, perfumes and trendy handbags made from the guthra (male headdress); foodstuff like sweets, spices, pickles and other condiments; and stationary like pens, pencils, bookmarks, books and photo albums.

“Upstairs are two centres where we employ professionals to improve on the commodities that have been created. Sometimes the finishing may not be too professional, so we give them a once over before they go on sale to ensure we get only the best price for our families.”

The mall currently displays the work of 86 families from around Bahrain, although there are nearly 300 families included in their database.

“Some of them make traditional delicacies such as kebabs which we currently do not have any space for at the mall. So we keep these families on reserve for when we host exhibitions or fairs. Some fare is on sale here which is produced in incubators in Sitra which have been inspected by the Ministry of Health to ensure stringent levels of hygiene.”

In a bid to raise awareness about the centre, Capital Mall has been incorporated into tours around the island, along with visits to the Bahrain National Museum. Ministries are also encouraged to purchase authentic Bahraini objets d’art to use as giveaways at events or festivals.

“With additional centres in Sitra, Muharraq and another at the airport, this is a great achievement for the country and its citizens. Whereas these families could only sell their work at seasonal exhibitions in the past, they now have a fixed location throughout the year. We have also set up training and productive centres where they can fine tune their unique skills to continue churning out magnificent relics of Bahrain’s rich culture and heritage.”

Capital Mall is open from 9am to 1pm and 4pm to 10pm. For information, call 17 582-169.