Damascino Mall Launch
Turkish clothing chain LC Waikiki opened its first store in Syria at the Damascino Mall in Damascus on 23 May 2026, marking the largest publicized entry by a foreign retail brand into the Syrian market since the change of government. The outlet stocks men's, women's and children's wear, and is the company's first physical presence in the country after years of brand recognition among Syrians shopping abroad.
Pricing Aimed Below Turkey
The company's regional manager Aitkin Sunkurlu said items in the trial-opening collection started at five US dollars (USD), with a 25 percent discount during the launch days. Sunkurlu said the chain's pricing for Syria "resembles Turkey's, even lower," framing the strategy as a deliberate move to capture demand from Syrian consumers long priced out of international retail brands.
Local Manufacturing Plans
Sunkurlu said the chain intends to begin manufacturing garments inside Syria in cooperation with the local franchise partner Adel Al-Asali, citing the country's geographic position, labor costs and existing textile base as decisive factors. He described the move as a combined commercial and industrial investment rather than a pure retail launch, with the Syrian operation designed to mirror the brand's standards in Turkey.
Five-Year Expansion Map
Al-Asali, who holds the Syrian agency for the brand, set out a five-year plan to expand across the country, with additional stores planned in Aleppo, Homs, Latakia and a second Damascus location during 2026. He said the Syrian market offered scope for covering most of the country within five to 10 years, citing the heavy footfall on opening day as evidence of pent-up demand for international brands at affordable prices.
Signal for Foreign Retail
The Damascus opening is the highest-profile foreign retail launch in Syria of 2026 so far. Al-Asali, a Syrian businessman who lived for more than two decades between the Gulf, Turkey and Spain before returning, said he expected the chain's standards on store design, scale and pricing to set a benchmark that would push existing Syrian retailers to upgrade their operations.