The Kings of Clubs

ENAR

It took a decade for Tony Habre and his partners to secure a foothold in Lebanon’s hospitality industry. Their company, Add Mind, creates, develops and manages food and beverage concepts. Today, it has its mind set on regional growth, emboldened by striking gold with their concepts of White and Iris, two nightlife venues that are icons of longevity and frequently on the lips of many Lebanese socialites. But Add Mind’s path to success was not easy; it was marked by venue closures and learning experiences that helped it to evolve into an operation employing 250 people in the peak season. “Our industry is a black or white one, with no middle ground and with frequent political turmoil which affects business,” says Habre, now chief executive of Add Mind. “So, basically, we had to accept the losses, pay for them and move on. But we always had a place doing well