Dubai - For years, ZOOM convenience stores were a familiar stop for Dubai Metro commuters, offering quick access to coffee, snacks, and Nol card top-ups without leaving the station. That routine is now changing.
Several ZOOM outlets inside Dubai Metro stations have quietly closed over recent months. Regular commuters and station staff confirm that stores at major interchange stations, including BurJuman and Union, are no longer operating, with shutters down and no signage explaining the closures.
Business listings reflect the trend. Some outlets, such as the Rove Trade Centre / Al Jafiliya branch, are marked as permanently closed, while others in areas like Al Ras appear inactive. Online commuter discussions suggest the shift began earlier this year, particularly across older metro locations in Deira and Oud Metha.
The closures have now been confirmed by ENOC, which owns the ZOOM brand. The company said the move follows a performance review of its non-fuel retail operations.
“ENOC has adjusted its ZOOM store footprint at selected Dubai Metro stations as part of its strategy to focus on fuel convenience,” an ENOC spokesperson said, adding that the company regularly reviews where its retail formats perform best.
According to ENOC, metro-based outlets rely heavily on short, impulse purchases during peak travel hours, while ZOOM stores at petrol stations benefit from customers making longer, more deliberate stops. As a result, fuel station outlets across Dubai continue to operate as usual.
For commuters, the closures mean the loss of a familiar part of daily travel. ZOOM’s metro stores provided food, coffee, Nol card payments, utility bill services, and Salik top-ups, all aligned with metro operating hours.
ENOC said the changes do not signal an exit from convenience retail. The company added that ZOOM remains a core part of its retail network and that former metro retail spaces may reopen under new operators as the network evolves.
