Shadi Megallaa is Dubai's best-loved music maverick. The Egyptian-born owner of The Flip Side in Alserkal Avenue has been purveying rare Arabic records and Japanese pressings, among other musical curiosities, to a growing number of Dubai DJs and denizens since 2017. As well as being the first independent record store in the emirate, it's also become a creative space for production seminars, documentary screenings and live DJ sets from local luminaries.

However, Shadi's noticed a pervasive insurgence among the crate diggers in the past two years. "We have lots of people coming in and taking anything from ten to twenty pictures of themselves posing," he wrote in a Facebook announcement.

Addressing influencers visiting for the photo opportunities, he clarifies, "The Flip Side is not here to be your personal backdrop for your Instagram stories. If you happen to be an influencer, kindly take your 'influence' somewhere else. Please respect our space like we respect yours."

There is good news for influencers, however. "If you would like to rent out the shop for a shoot, please get in touch with us at info@flipsidedxb.com," Shadi suggests. Don't say we didn't warn you.

Find The Flip Side at Unit 71, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai. Call +971 4 221 6830 for more info

​Photo: Rajesh Raghav