A Beirut Record Store Owner On Life During Wartime
A conversation with Diran Mardirian, owner of Beirut’s Chico Records and one of the best sources for Arabic music on the internet
Chico Records is nestled inconspicuously in Beirut’s bustling Hamra district, set back from the busiest part of the neighborhood but close enough to be discovered by coincidence. Its sign speaks of its rich history, proudly announcing that it has been running since 1964. I first walked in one day in September 2022, after traveling from my home in Casablanca, Morocco for a conference and falling in love with Beirut, often sacrificing sleep to wander alone until the sun rose. Hamra’s streets are lined with great old trees, and its cafes open one by one in the morning as the sun pierces the leaves to land on the old gray concrete.
Diran Mardirian curates his shop with pride and joy, stocking gems from Tom Waits and Steely Dan alongside his extensive collection of music from the Arab world. He’s a born collector: He curated and sold movies for over a decade—records for even longer—and he buys up books for his personal shelves like a madman. We had a conversation about old music that lasted as long as my visit to his shop.
Beirut was in bad shape at the time, still suffering from the aftermath of the 2020 port explosion, when an ill-kept store of ammonium nitrate detonated, killing 218 people and destroying the area. Today the capital is in an even worse state, as Israel’s bombing has wiped out entire neighborhoods. But Diran still shows up every day to sell records. I spoke with him recently about what it’s like to run Chico Records during wartime.
