From a small bookshop to an exquisite concept store — because it’s a story of heritage and passion.

It all goes back to 1922 when our late grandfather Michel Farah (1922-1997) opened one of Lebanon’s first bookshops: “Librairie Moderne Al Farah”. He was a fervent reader and books aficionado.
The opening of the bookshop was triggered by his growing collection of books which his mother threatened to burn for lack of space.

Al Farah bookshop’s first location was in Souk Abi Nasr in Beirut’s downtown and few years later, it moved to larger premises over three floors upon the completion of the Lazaristes building. A prime location in the heart of the capital, facing Saint George Maronite Cathedral.

In 1975, the Lebanese war broke out and did not spare any of old Beirut’s stores including the bookshop that was destroyed by a fire. But it was not an option for us to bury the business that was built with spirit and passion. Michel’s son, Amin Farah, turned his birthplace into the bookshop. An old house of 500 square meters located in Sassine Street, one of Beirut’s most vibrant residential and commercial neighborhoods.

With a bigger space there was room for diversification in three sections: books, stationery and religious articles. The Al Farah bookshop has been ever since particularly known for the religious articles offered in occasions such as baptisms and first communions.

In 2010, 35 years after the relocation, we, the Farah family, decided of a more ambitious plan for the bookshop and its built structure: a luxury residential building of 14 stories, with a state-of-the-art retail space of 800 square meters on its ground floor to host a better and bigger version of the bookshop.

With the worldwide changing trends including e-books and other electronic reading platforms and connected gadgets, it was mandatory for us to rethink the space of the bookshop, as well as its products and services.