Shopping in Cairo
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Khan al-Khalili
Jaundiced travellers often dismiss the Khan al-Khalili as a tourist trap; there's no ignoring the fact that it's a favoured stop of tour buses and has all the associated annoyances (touts and tat) that come with them. But it's worth remembering that Cairenes have plied their trades here since the founding of the Khan in the 14th century - the buying and selling didn't begin with the arrival of the first tour group.
Today the market still plays an important role in the day-to-day commercial life of thousands of locals.
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Sami Amin
Cool chunky brass-and-enamel jewellery as well as leather bags, belts and shoes, many imprinted with tribal patterns. And all at bargain prices – bags and sandals start at just E£35.
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Citystars Centre
Cairo’s most lavish mall is the current landing spot for every new international chain, from Starbucks to Wagamama.
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Souq al-Gomaa
In the Southern Cemetery south of the Citadel, this sprawling weekly market is all the craziness of a medieval bazaar in a modern setting: under a highway flyover, expect new bicycles, live donkeys, toilets and broken telephones. Savvy pickers can find some great antiques and vintage duds. Go before 10am, when the crush of people can get overwhelming. You’ll need a taxi to get there (about E£12 from Downtown); tell the driver ‘Khalifa’, the name of the neighbourhood.
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Nomad
This gem of a place specialises in jewellery and traditional Bedouin crafts and costumes, particularly from Siwa. Items include appliquéd tablecloths and cushion covers, dresses made in the oases, woven baskets, silk slippers and chunky silver jewellery. To find it, go past the Egyptian Water Works office to the 1st floor and ring the bell. There are smaller branches in the Cairo Marriott, Grand Hyatt and Nile Hotel.
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Sharia al-Muski
Congested and fabulous, the market street known as Sharia al-Muski begins in the khan (where it's formally called Sharia Gawhar al-Qaid) and runs parallel to Sharia al-Azhar to Midan Ataba. It's the 'real life' counterpoint to Khan al-Khalili's touristy maze, lined with carts selling cheap shoes, plastic toys, bucket-sized bras and some truly shocking lingerie.
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Mobaco
Not as interesting as Mix & Match in design, but inexpensive and with a great range of colours. There’s always a flattering long cotton or linen skirt available, and men can choose from a rainbow of polo shirts sporting a camel logo. There are stores throughout the city, including at the Nile Hotel and the Semiramis (both Map pp120–1).
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Beit Sherif
Zaki Sherif is responsible for the décor of some of Cairo's trendiest bars. Here he recreates his Ottoman dreams, mixing old furniture and objets d'art with his own designs and artfully displaying the result on three floors of an attractive old house. The glass-and-brass light shades are lovely, as are the richly embroidered cushions.
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Said Delta Papyrus Centre
A spin-off of Dr Ragab (the father of quality papyrus painting), Said has a vast selection, from ancient Egyptian scenes to cool Cairo skylines. He’ll do a cartouche with your name in about half an hour. Prices are negotiable and quite reasonable, provided you arrive without a tout. (The shop is up two flights and down a dim hallway.)
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Abd El Zaher
Cairo's last working bookbinder also makes beautiful leather- and oil-paper-bound blank books, photo albums and diaries. Free gold monogramming is included in the prices, which are heartbreakingly low, considering the work that goes into them. Getting your own book bound starts around £E15 and takes a few days.
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Tawfiqiyya Souq
For fresh fruit and vegetables try Tawfiqiyya Souq. It's open late, and there's an exceptionally good dairy store for ricotta-style cheese and rice pudding (around the corner on Sharia Talaat Harb) plus numerous ba'als, the all-purpose grocers where you can stock up on yogurt, crackers and drinks.
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Oum El Dounia
At a great central location, Oum El Dounia sells an attractive range of locally made glassware, Bedouin jewellery, cotton clothes, bags, embroidered shawls and light fittings. It also stocks a small range of maps, postcards and English- and French-language books about Cairo and Egypt, as well as CDs.
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Tukul Craft Shop
This charity store next to the Marriott Hotel was established in 1988 and sells an attractive range of cotton bags, aprons, tablecloths and teatowels silkscreen printed with original designs by displaced Sudanese refugees. The Ma'adi store (tel: (02) 525 0348) is just opposite the metro station .
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Mobaco Cottons
Egypt has always been known for its cotton products, and Mobaco is the most popular of the local chain stores offering reasonably priced, decent-quality cotton clothes for men, women and children. There are stores throughout the city, including at the Nile Hilton and Ramses Hilton Mall.
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Atlas
In business since 1948, the Atlas family specialises in silk. Sold by the yard, it’s both beautiful and sturdy, and holds its dye better than anything you might find for less. Kaftans and slippers are also available, and you can order custom clothing with any of the fabrics.
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Egypt Crafts Fair/Fair Trade Egypt
Crafts sold here are produced in income-generating projects throughout the country. Items for sale include Bedouin rugs, hand-woven cotton, pottery from Al-Fayoum and beaded jewellery from Aswan. The cotton bedcovers and shawls are particularly lovely, and prices are excellent.
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Friction
Friction’s shop-window mannequins scandalise with underwear-as-outerwear; inside, it’s club music and cool clothes from Turkish and Scandinavian designers – still nothing you could wear on the street here, but welcome at better night spots.
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Makan
This cool housewares shop features clever applications of traditional crafts – check out the lights made from tambourines. Some items are minimalist; others, like the painted wood picture frames, have a folk-art aesthetic. Upholstery fabric is sold by the yard.
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Nagada
Handwoven, colour-saturated silks, cottons and linens are the mainstay of this luxe shop in a grand villa – buy by the yard, or in boxy, drapey women’s and men’s apparel. There’s also very pretty handmade pottery from Al-Fayoum.
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Souq al-Fustat
A new market built for tourists, this is nonetheless a nice collection of shops, with vendors of antique carpets, modern ceramics, richly embroidered galabiyyas and wooden toys along with a branch of Sami Amin. Sales pressure is pleasantly low.
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Al-Ain Gallery
Established in 1981, this gallery is known for intricate 'Oriental' metalwork lamps by internationally renowned designer Randa Fahmy and its gorgeous items of traditional jewellery fashioned by her sister Azza. The gallery is closed Fri mornings.
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Sednaoui
One of Cairo's prime early-20th-century department stores. Nationalised in 1961, its display cases are now stocked with a weird, almost tragic assortment of third-rate goods. But the place still sports its gorgeous three-storey atrium interior.
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Beymen
This Turkish department store is the last word in luxury shopping in Cairo, stocking Prada et al alongside its chic house brand. There’s a disproportionately huge selection of scarves and perfume, and great people-watching in the cafe.
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Khan Misr Touloun
This shop opposite the Mosque of Ibn Tulun is stacked with a desirable jumble of crafts from all over Egypt, including wooden chests, jewellery, pottery, puppets, scarves and even hip T-shirts emblazoned with popular Egyptian product logos.
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Ahmed El Dabba & Sons
The most respected antiques dealer in Khan al-Khalili is a warren of Louis XV furniture and glass cases filled with gleaming jewellery and snuff boxes. This is where the treasures stashed in 19th-century Downtown apartments all end up.
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