Timeframe: When two giant electric guitars signalled the furthest reaches of Dubai

Chuck Berry opened it in 1997 and Michael Jackson reportedly dined there, but the old Hard Rock Cafe will always be remembered for its enormous Stratocasters outside

The Hard Rock Cafe closed in 2009, but the structure stood until 2013. Satish Kumar / The National

For many Dubai residents, two crossed and colossal electric guitars once marked the farthest reaches of the city.

The Hard Rock Cafe was situated on Sheikh Zayed Road, near to modern-day Media City more than 20km south-west of Dubai World Trade Centre. That distance may seem insignificant now, especially as the drive between the two areas has become especially scenic, flanked by skyscrapers, Burj Khalifa, Museum of the Future and other architecturally arresting structures.

Of course, that was not always the case. The road from the World Trade Centre to Hard Rock Cafe was largely devoid of urban development. In fact, aside from a few isolated structures, there was not much to see. This was in the years before Dubai’s steadfast expansion southwards, before Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence.

However, this didn’t make the Hard Rock Cafe any less popular. It opened in December 1997 with a performance by US musician Chuck Berry. The building resembled a miniature Empire State Building, superimposed by two Stratocaster-type guitars, and it quickly became a favourite among residents. It was a landmark to behold and a popular place to stop by en route to Abu Dhabi. Michael Jackson was even said to have once had lunch there.

Despite its popularity, the Hard Rock Cafe had a bit of a star-crossed fate. Its remote location soon became pivotal within Dubai’s vision for the future. Dubai’s Media and Internet Cities were founded at the turn of the century, and the area soon underwent rapid development.

The Hard Rock Cafe closed in 2009, but the structure – though stripped – stood until 2013, when it was finally demolished. A lively social media campaign, with thousands of supporters, sought to save the structure. But the Hard Rock Cafe had already started to feel out of place in the area’s urbanisation.

A new branch of the Hard Rock Cafe opened in Festival City in 2011. While its interior fittings have many of the rock 'n' roll memorabilia that made the original a favourite, there’s no denying that from the outside, the structure has much less personality.