Mary Grace Alzate is the owner of One Fab Outlet in Al Ain, UAE. JONATHAN YBERA/EXPAT MEDIA

In a city where retail is dominated by global brands, one Filipina entrepreneur has made history. Mary Grace Alzate, a visionary businesswoman based in Al Ain, has become the first Filipino entrepreneur in the UAE to open her very own three-storey luxury outlet store—One Fab Outlet. This groundbreaking retail space, nestled in the heart of Al Ain at 51 Ali Bin Abi Talib Street, offers an unparalleled shopping experience, blending high-end luxury with affordability. More than just a business milestone, One Fab Outlet is a testament to Mary Grace’s resilience, grit, and entrepreneurial spirit. Mary Grace’s journey to success wasn’t an overnight triumph. Before she became the celebrated owner of multiple businesses, she was a struggling single mother in the Philippines, working as a travel agent with an income barely enough to support her two children. “I couldn’t give them a comfortable life with my salary,” she tells Expat Media in an exclusive interview. In 2009, she took a leap of faith and moved to Al Ain to work as a travel agency consultant. She earned only Dh1,400—a modest amount, especially with the financial obligations she had back home. Desperate for a way to supplement her income, she discovered online selling. Armed with determination and a small amount of capital, she started buying branded bags from Dubai’s sales and reselling them on Facebook. At first, it was just a side hustle, but demand grew quickly. “It just grew without me realizing it,” she shares. “I wasn’t thinking about building an empire—it just happened.”

The game-changing move: Live selling

In the early days of Facebook Live, Mary Grace took a bold step—she started selling second-hand clothes via live streaming. “I had credit card bills and loans piling up. I was at my lowest point, and I told myself, I won’t go home to the Philippines as a failure,” she says. She bought a bundle of thrifted clothes for Dh300 and sold them for Dh5 to Dh15 per piece. In just one day, everything was sold out. Encouraged by the success, she expanded to shoes, bags, and watches. The orders kept pouring in, and soon, she was running a full-scale online retail operation from her home. But success came at a price. “I did everything myself—buying stocks, selling, packing, delivering. I worked from 8am to 3am daily,” she says. Her growing popularity made her a household name in Al Ain’s Filipino community. Customers eagerly awaited her next live-selling session, and some even flocked to meet her when she made deliveries in person. By 2018, Mary Grace had outgrown her home-based setup. She opened her first physical store in Al Ain. But she wasn’t done yet. “My customers started requesting gold jewelry,” she says. Seeing an opportunity, she began live-selling gold. Her unique approach—offering affordable yet high-quality gold pieces—attracted a massive following. Her success in jewelry led to the opening of Miss Fab Jewellery & Diamond Trading store in Dubai’s Al Warba Center. What started as a small-scale experiment turned into a flourishing empire, with customers from across the UAE and beyond. ALSO READ: Dubai's Miss Fab shares story of guts, grits and glory

Making history in Al Ain

Despite her success in Dubai, Al Ain remained close to Mary Grace’s heart. She wanted to give back to the city that shaped her entrepreneurial journey. That dream became reality with the opening of One Fab Outlet—Al Ain’s first-ever three-storey luxury outlet store. “This is my biggest achievement yet,” she says with pride. “I wanted to create a place where people can buy luxury items at affordable prices without having to travel far.” One Fab Outlet, opened earlier this year, is a retail paradise. The ground floor houses fast fashion brands, kitchenware, and her exclusive perfume line. The basement is dedicated to men’s fashion, sneakers, and branded eyewear. The first floor is where luxury brands shine, featuring Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, and more. “I always plan my every move carefully,” Mary Grace reveals. “Business is about strategy, adaptability, and persistence.” Mary Grace has her eyes set on further expansion, with more outlets in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. The trailblazing entrepreneur says she is ready for the future. Her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs? “Don’t be afraid to start. Business is never going to be perfect, but you just have to keep going.”

Through the eyes of her team

Among them all, Claire has been with Grace the longest—since 2018. She was there when Grace was just starting her online selling business from her room, handling orders with only one other staff member. “She was really focused—not just on growing the business, but on helping us grow too,” Claire says. Grace even supported her through multiple visa runs, telling her to “hang on.” Seven years later, Claire is still here, proud to have been part of the journey from day one. Mia’s journey with Grace began in 2020 when she was just looking for part-time work. Grace didn’t just give her a job—she gave her an opportunity. “After six months, she asked me if I wanted to work full-time,” Mia recalls. The decision was easy—Grace was someone worth working for. “We started in a tiny shop, barely fitting with all the items, and now I’ve seen her grow. One word to describe her? Fabulous.” Six years ago, Kim was just starting as a customer service representative. Today, he’s an assistant manager—thanks to Grace’s unwavering belief in him. “She promoted me,” Kim says proudly. “She’s kind, generous, and doesn’t just think about herself; she thinks about all of us.” It’s not just words; Grace shares her blessings through commissions, ensuring everyone benefits from the company’s success. This exclusive also appears as the cover story of the Expat Media Special Edition magazine. ALSO READ: Filipina entrepreneur launches 24k gold-infused perfumes in Dubai
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