This was notably the very first suburban-style shopping mall in the nation, designed with the automobile in mind, a revolutionary park and stroll concept way back in 1922.
"I believe Kurdistan is like a baby tiger, " said Zedbagi, sipping a latte in a Western-style espresso bar in the Family Mall, Irbil's largest shopping center.
Passengers today are corralled through security followed by mall-like corridors of snacks and shops that are short on style and have all the ambiance of a suburban food court.