Mina Zayed Port: 13 photos of Abu Dhabi's veteran souq vendors

Some of these men and women have worked in the area for decades

Veteran vendor of the Al Mina Souq, Ibrahim Abdul Kareem, 65, has been working at the Al Mina appliance and kitchenware area for 26 years. He is from Iran. Photos by Victor Besa / The National

Ali Ahmad Gulami, 48, from Iran been working here for 25 years

Customers mill around the home and kitchenware area of Al Mina

The Dar Al Ain brothers, from left: Kassem, 42, Amir, 36, and Saber, 21. These three brothers manage the Persian carpets and rug store, Dar Al Ain Furnishing

Saber is the youngest manager of the Persian carpets and rug store, Dar Al Ain Furnishing

Abdulla Husain Khinji Home Appliances Shop

A father and daughter shop for kitchenware at the home furnishings area of Al Mina Souq

Shop manager Mohammed Soleimani, 30, from Iran

Merlinda Erosida, 33, from the Philippines, has been working at the souq for four years

A vendor rearranges his stall before peak time, which begins at 6pm

Find all home furnishings, kitchenware and appliances in this section of Al Mina Souq

Dusk falls as vendors sell homeware and appliances at the souq

Carpet vendor Ali Ahmad, 25, is originally from Pakistan

Abu Dhabi is home to a number of marketplaces, but the best and most bustling are in the Mina Zayed Port area, or Al Mina. This is where customers can find a number of traditional-style souqs, each a short walk away from one another, selling a huge variety of goods from fruit and vegetables to carpets and fish.

Our photographer visited the home appliances and kitchenware market, where some of the vendors have worked for decades, and customers continue to flock back to year after year.

Look through the gallery above to more of Al Mina.

Major redevelopment is ongoing in this area, as Abu Dhabi's historic port and traditional markets are freshened up. The work began this summer and are expected to last a few years. Redevelopment of the wider Mina Zayed area, including its traditional markets, has been loosely planned for years, but Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, approved a huge new development plan in February last year.

The redevelopment includes a new marina, a cultural quarter around the arts centre, Warehouse 421, and an overhaul of the traditional markets.