It is a Saturday morning in the 1920s: errands are run just in time to make your way to Sednaoui El-Khazendar, Egypt’s once-iconic department store. The Sednaoui El-Khazendar building sits gloriously in the al-Mosky district, one of Cairo’s oldest quarters. Established in 1913 by the Sednaoui brothers, Selim and Samaan, it is considered the “first mall in the Middle East.” Khedive Ismail’s Cairo was vibrant with European flair; under his rule, Cairo underwent transformations that reflected the grandeur of Europe’s architecture. He hired engineers from France, Italy, and Germany to complete his visions of a Westernized Egypt. Ismail dreamed of converting Cairo to “Paris of the East,” and years later, the Sednaoui brothers embraced his visions, replicating France’s iconic department store, Galeries Lafayette. The building started off as a small shop in the al-Azhar area, but the two brothers decided to expand it into a larger building. They called it after their family name Sednaoui, and its location was in El-Khazendar square, landing it Sednaoui El-Khazendar. It was designed by famous French architect, George Parcq, who also designed the Alexandria Opera House and the Cairo Stock Exchange. Parcq’s marvelous architectural…
