Last Monday marked the final official day of The Basement — and if you live in the UAE and are even slightly into street style and skateboarding, chances are you have heard of them. The Basement grew incredibly quickly. In just two years, they brought together thousands of people from the urban and creative community, and their final week — as seen all over Instagram — drew crowds to Sharjah to say goodbye to a place they loved.

So with a community this strong, and a name that has become a staple in the scene, what pushed founders Adnan and Bagera to close the space? What went wrong, what would they do differently if they were to start again, and — most importantly — are they planning a return?

All of that — and more — in this honest conversation with them.

— Before we talk about why The Basement closed, can you recall when it all started? How did the idea come to life?

Bagera: The Basement actually began five years ago, long before the physical store opened two years back. At the time, Adnan was just 17, and I was 23. We were both deep into sneakers — proper sneakerheads — collecting, trading, and following streetwear culture closely. That naturally pulled us into the vintage streetwear world and opened a completely new universe for us.

Both of us always knew we wanted to create something of our own, but we had no clear idea of what it would become. The Basement formed almost organically as we explored vintage streetwear more seriously.

Adnan came up with the name — because a basement is where people keep old treasures, the things they don’t want to throw away. It felt right immediately and perfectly represented what we loved. That is really how it all started.

— Throughout these years, is there one warm moment that stands out?

Adnan: There are honestly too many moments to choose from, because from the beginning this was never about money — it was always about community, connection, and good energy. That is what made everything memorable.

But one moment that really stands out is BRED last April. It was our first time ever producing our own clothing. The quality wasn’t perfect — we were inexperienced — but even with the flaws, we almost sold out. Our booth was constantly packed; people were passing by, taking pictures, posting about us. It genuinely felt like the whole community came together for us.

It meant even more because the year before, our appearance at BRED had been a complete flop — late planning and rookie mistakes. Coming back the next year and becoming one of the busiest booths across all five days was a huge moment. It showed us a level of love and support we never expected.

Bagera: For me, the most emotional moment came much later — when we told everyone we would be closing the store. We had known internally for a while, but when we finally announced it, people reacted so emotionally. Many told us The Basement felt like a home to them — a place where they could gather, feel comfortable, belong. That was exactly what we wanted to build from the start, a place that felt like a house for people who loved the same things we did.

— You built a strong community. What was the decision behind closing The Basement?

Adnan: We have always been very transparent, so the simplest way to put it is: we opened a huge space with very little experience. We went straight from doing pop-ups to managing a 133 square metre store, and while we eventually figured things out, the start was rough. The layout wasn’t right at first, and we didn’t have a proper financial plan. We were running on excitement more than strategy. The business itself was sustainable, and the community was incredible — but the location was expensive, and the footfall wasn’t what we expected.

Bagera: Exactly. And it wasn’t just one thing — the whole retail industry shifted. Our first year was great, but the second year showed how much the global slowdown hit retail everywhere. On our Europe tour, we felt it even more. At the scale we were operating, it became difficult to keep going without compromising the experience or the community. Closing for now was the best decision. It gives us space to reset and rethink properly.

Adnan: And honestly, the location played a big role too. Aljada is a beautiful area, but it is almost entirely cafés and restaurants. We expected more walk-ins, but Sharjah doesn’t have that same browsing culture you see in Europe or even in Dubai during winter. People would walk past, look inside, but unless they already knew The Basement, they wouldn’t step in. That lack of natural footfall affected us way more than we anticipated.

— How did you divide tasks between yourselves?

Bagera: Creatively, everything was shared — ideas, concepts, projects, all 50/50.

But in terms of responsibilities, Adnan handled sourcing, brands, and anything on the fashion side, while I handled finance, accounting, and the business structure. Even then, it was still collaborative. If he had a meeting with a brand, I would join when needed; if I was working on something financial, he would jump in too. Most decisions were made together.

Our days followed the same rhythm but had different focuses — some were operational, some creative, some just community-driven.

— If you could start everything from the beginning, what would you pay more attention to?

Adnan: Two things, for sure.

1. Proper planning. Especially on the financial side. We jumped in with excitement, and only later realised we should’ve done a proper feasibility study before opening a space that big. The energy was great, but the planning definitely came too late.

2. Staffing. For a community-focused business like ours, the team is everything. You need people who genuinely understand the culture and can speak to customers naturally. Passion can’t be taught — it has to already be there.

Finding the right people was one of our biggest challenges. We didn’t want the store to feel like Zara or any typical retail shop. At one point we had six staff members — two in retail and four in the café — but not everyone was the right fit. Over the two years, only one person stayed with us from the very beginning — everyone else changed. We didn’t just need employees; we needed people who actually lived the culture: streetwear, hip-hop, vintage streetwear, skateboarding.

The UAE can feel very corporate. We wanted people to walk in, feel welcome, and talk to us even if they weren’t buying anything. That human side is what makes a community real.

— You have a strong online community, but you personally didn’t grow your own social media pages. Why?

Adnan: Simply because we are not influencers, and we never aimed to be. I was very introverted growing up — always gaming at home, keeping to myself. The Basement actually made me more social, but documenting every moment still doesn’t feel natural. If I don’t feel like sharing something, I just won’t.

Bagera: I am not a big fan of vlogging either, but after our Europe trip I started posting more, especially in Arabic, to reach the local audience. Then the announcement videos about the store closing went crazy — 50 thousand, 80 thousand, even 110 thousand views. And when people heard our burger joint was closing too, the reactions got even bigger.

— Do you think personal branding helps build a business?

Adnan: It does — but only if it is natural. Some people force a persona online, and I really dislike that. If you are naturally funny or expressive, like Bagera is, then it works because it is real. But if it is not authentic, people will feel the disconnect when they meet you in person.

— Did your personal style change during the time you were running The Basement?

Adnan: In some ways, yes. Before The Basement, I worked in my family’s corporate business. The pace, the structure, the mindset — everything was different. The experience gave me discipline that I later applied in the store, but lifestyle-wise and creatively, everything changed.

Bagera: Style-wise, not really. We have known each other since we were kids — I knew him when he was five — and we have always shared a similar style. Even in corporate settings, we dressed the same, just a bit more balanced. But fashion-wise, we have always stayed true to ourselves.

— Do you think the closing of The Basement reflects a wider trend happening across the UAE, or was it more about your specific situation?

Bagera: To be honest, I don’t think it reflects the entire country. It was more about the way we were moving. If we reopen — and we definitely plan to — we are going to approach everything differently. We will be very careful with the mistakes we made the first time, and structure the business in a way that allows it to survive even when the retail industry is struggling.

Retail, globally and locally, isn’t in its best state right now, and that played a role. But The Basement is a legacy for us — it isn't just a shop. It is a home, a family, a bond we built with the people who supported us. We don’t want to let anyone down, especially the skateboarding community.

Adnan: For me, it is a bit of both. We overestimated some things, and at the same time, the street culture community here is still small. When you go to events or pop-ups, you often see the same faces — which is amazing, because those people are passionate and consistent — but it also shows the scale.

When we visited Europe, the difference was huge. Walk - in culture there is natural. People explore, go into stores, check out spaces. Here, that culture doesn’t fully exist yet. So yes, the community is smaller, and yes, we lacked some experience. Combined, that explains the closure more than a big trend.

— Do you think you will return to the same field in the future?

Both: Yes — 100%. We are definitely coming back. You can stamp that. We don’t know the exact timing yet, but most likely next year.

— Many people were really upset about the closure. Why didn’t you announce your plans publicly right away?

Adnan: We didn’t announce it online because we didn’t want to say anything before having a proper plan.

When you speak to someone in person, it is easy to explain that you are coming back. But when you announce something on Instagram, people ask a hundred questions — and if you don’t have the answers yet, it creates more pressure.

So we decided: Plan first. Announce later. We want to return with the right location, the right structure, the right changes — and only then make the official announcement. We actually have an event coming up in December — Mother of the Nation in Abu Dhabi.