Saudi Arabia plans to open two new alcohol stores, including one serving non-Muslim foreign staff at state oil giant Aramco, as the Kingdom continues to ease long-standing restrictions, foreign media reports said citing sources.
According to Reuters, the new outlets will be located in the eastern province of Dhahran and in the port city of Jeddah for diplomats.
The move marks another milestone in Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s efforts to open up the country. Last year, Saudi Arabia opened its first alcohol store for non-Muslim diplomats in Riyadh, ending a 73-year ban.
The Dhahran store will be set up inside an Aramco-owned compound and will serve non-Muslims working for the company. The other store is planned for non-Muslim diplomats in Jeddah, where many foreign consulates are located.
Both stores are expected to open in 2026, though no specific timelines have been confirmed.
While the government’s media office did not immediately respond to questions, Aramco declined to comment, reports said.
The Riyadh store, located in a discreet building in the diplomatic quarter and known among some diplomats as the “booze bunker”, recently expanded its customer base to include non-Muslim Saudi Premium Residency holders.
These residences are granted to entrepreneurs, major investors and individuals with special talents.
Before the Riyadh store opened, alcohol in Saudi Arabia was largely accessible only through diplomatic mail, the black market or homebrewing.