Once Lebanon’s Center of Glamor, Hamra Street Goes Dark

Michel Eid, 88, works in his music shop, on Hamra street, in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022.(AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

From his small music shop on Beirut’s Hamra Street, Michel Eid witnessed the rise and fall of Lebanon through the changing fortunes of this famed boulevard for more than 60 years.

Hamra Street was the center of Beirut’s glamor in the 1960s and 1970s, home to Lebanon’s top movie houses and theaters, cafes frequented by intellectuals and artists, and shops selling top international brands. It saw a revival the past decade, thriving with international chain stores and vibrant bars and restaurants.