Developing debauchery in downtown

In the olden days, Uruguay Street, behind what today is the Samir Kassir Square, was better known as the Souk El Kmash, or the “Clothes Market”, and was famous for high-end tailors and shops full of trendy attire. Today, and a year into its revival, it is becoming known for its bars and restaurants and is considered by many to be one of the most popular nightlife streets in Beirut.  Just before sunset, the tables on bar terraces start filling up. By 10 p.m. the street is in full swing, with music filling the night and fashionable people parading up and down the walkway. A year after its conception the street already has a loyal fan base. “I love coming here because the age group is perfect: I don’t see any teens around, and I also don’t see people who are my parents’ age,” says Sumaya Khoury, a Uruguay Street