Captain's Stores in Dubai as it used to be

Captain's Store is located in the Dubai Souk. The Store has a long and well established reputation for retailing high quality optics (binoculars, microscopes, telescopes) and camera equipment. A surprising location to find such high quality goods on offer but read on....

Dubai has long been a centre of duty free trade. The rest of the Region hasn't. Dubai's business activity has always been devoted to meeting the needs of their neighbours, many of whom had high rates of Customs Duties. Often Dubai's Merchants devised trade routes that avoided paying these high Customs Duties. The rest of the World calls that Smuggling! Dubai called it Business! Read on....

Optics and Photographic Equipment were favoured goods in the surrounding regions. Dubai Merchants used a variety of routes to deliver to their customers. In the 1950s, 60s and early 70s there was no road connection between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. However there was a considerable difference between Abu Dhabi Custom's Duty and Dubai's Customs Duty. So Optics and Cameras were "smuggled" into Abu Dhabi using Landrovers that travelled over the desert dunes at night with their headlights turned off to avoid detection! Read on...

It is not by chance that the Captain's Store was located next to the old British Bank of the Middle East! Next time you take an Abra Trip on Dubai Creek have a closer look at The Captain's Store - it is not just a store - it is a piece of Dubai's history.