Beirut Souks on March 9, 2025. (Credit: Malek Jadah)
BEIRUT — Beirut Souks is showing signs of revival, with new store openings drawing shoppers back to the once-thriving commercial hub.
"It's really nice that Beirut Souks is back, it brings back a lot of nice memories," said Nadine, a woman in her twenties who visited the shopping center on Sunday.
On Thursday, the Azadea Group, a leading lifestyle regional retail company, reopened eight stores in the shopping center: Pull and Bear, Adidas, Bershka, Massimo Duti, Oysho, Stradivarius, Calzedonia and Mango.
Beirut Souks, managed by Solidere, first opened in 2009 after a decade-long delay and a $100 million expenditure. In recent years, the sprawling complex had been largely deserted mainly due to Lebanon’s economic crisis, the Oct. 17 uprising, the 2020 Beirut Port explosion and the recent war between Hezbollah and Israel. Now, the shopping center is regaining some of its former vibrancy.
For years, only a handful of stores and the Beirut Souks Cinemacity remained open despite the lull activity. But now, "75 brands are operating in Beirut Souks," a source from Beirut Souk's management told L’Orient Today.
Recent additions in March include DFY Kids, Joue Club, the jewelry store APM Monaco, Beit Sara "from jar to table concept," as well as a couple of coffee shops: Someday in Beirut and Grid.
According to the Beirut Souk source, 39 more brands will gradually open over the next three months.
"In the second half of March, 12 brands will launch, including global names like Alo Yoga and The Giving Movement. Other upcoming openings include L’Occitane, Yves Rocher and restaurants, like OBI, Crepaway, Dunkin and Markt, along with the gym Start by Maison Fit," the source told L'Orient Today.
By mid-year, Zara and Zara Cafe will open, along with restaurants like Eataly, Socrate and Dip n’ Dip.
"Rolex will also relocate its store to Beirut Souks ... and Poptastic, a new entertainment center for children under 12, will open — bringing store openings to 90 percent completion while the remaining 10 percent remain under negotiations," the Beirut Souks source continued.
'Parking full by 10 a.m.'
Some visitors welcomed the reopening but hoped for more variety.
For example, Nadine said that while some stores look aesthetically pleasing, with spacious layouts and a European feel, there "aren’t many options for adult women." She added that many of the stores cater to teenagers, and there are even fewer options for men.
She also noted the absence of a bookstore, recalling that Librairie Antoine, a well-known bookshop, closed its Beirut Souks location in 2022. It remains unclear whether any of the incoming brands will fill these gaps.
Jason, who works at the shopping center, said parking has been filling up by 10 a.m. An employee at Oysho, a Spanish fashion brand, said it was too soon to tell whether the atmosphere had fully returned to pre-2019 levels. But, he expressed optimism that while it would take some time, it would eventually happen.
Despite Lebanon’s economic and financial challenges, Wassim al-Rifai, Azadea’s Lebanon director, described the reopening as "successful," citing positive key performance indicators and footfall figures.
"We received a lot of positive feedback through different channels, especially on social media," he added.
Rifai told L'Orient Today that Azadea had been preparing the stores for months, even during the war, and aimed to open by early March before the peak festive season.
Last July, Adib al-Nakib, general manager of Beirut Souks and chief commercial officer of Solidere, told L'Orient Today that many tenants were undergoing renovations and planned to open by October 2024.
Al-Rifai said Azadea initially aimed for an earlier launch in 2024, but it faced "a lot of force majeure circumstances [mainly the war between Israel and Hezbollah] which delayed the opening."
Al-Rifai concluded, "This is only the beginning!"