Sweet memories

ENAR

Executive profiled a collection of beloved Beirut venues which have been in operation for more than 35 years and evoke strong feelings of nostalgia among the city’s residents. The aim was to discover more about their history and learn the secrets of their success, nostalgia aside.   Launched by Nabih Maroun in 1957, and still under his umbrella to date, La Gondole was located on Mar Elias Street initially before moving to its current location on Corniche El Mazraa in 1962. At that time, says the original owner’s son, Mazen Maroun, Corniche El Mazraa was still developing and was not the busy area it is today. The idea for La Gondole, according to Mazen Maroun, was conceived from the area’s need for a European style pastry shop as, at the time, there were only two such concepts in Beirut (one in Ashrafieh and one on Kantari Street). La Gondole rapidly