Back in March I posted about Hard Rock Cafe closing down and how possibly Alshaya would be taking over the location. I assumed they would just refurbish the location but turns out they’re completely tearing it down. The location became a landmark of a sort on the Gulf Road with its large glass pyramid and it was pretty popular with photographers as well.
Last year Alshaya acquired the franchise rights for the Lebanese restaurant Babel and rumors are this is where they will be opening their first location.
28 replies on “Hard Rock Cafe Demolished”
Thank goodness I took some pictures a few weeks ago, it was sad, glad to see it gone rather than left abandoned. Easy come, easy go so what’s next in line?
I just remembered the Chevy was still hanging from the ceiling a couple weeks ago, I wonder if they demolished it, if so that makes me sad!
That’s so sad to hear, it was such a cool location. Will Hard Rock Cafe come back elsewhere or is it dead and gone?
What a waste.
Ive been in that building only once. It offered really nice and unique atmosphere.
This is Kuwait. Where everything beautiful is being destroyed for the sake of the Dinar. Oh well… They destroyed ourmhopes and dreams, a building is nothing.
The government is trying to preserve several pre-oil buildings
And Kuwait is practically a 1970s relic…
Super.
The food was terrible and overpriced, the building looking cool has nothing to do with that fact. Maybe they should’ve kept the building around but I am not sad to see the actual cafe go away at all
الله لا يرده
Thanks for reporting this. I lived in Kuwait for 7+ years and it is hard to imagine why this building would have been demolished.
Hard Rock Cafe’s ‘rock’ all over the world and are very successful. The one in London is a treasure of old rocker memorabilia. I visited many locations from Madrid to Beijing and Hard Rocks are a fun location to get a burger with some good music, hence, I guess the vibe of Hard Rock could never be sustained in a place like Kuwait. The lyrics to the song ‘The day the music died’ keeps playing in my head.
FYI Hard Rock is trash everywhere, sell-out corporate image of VH1 “rock” watered down for the masses, if you’re going to BEIJING and still feel like you have to consume this terrible English fake-rock concept instead of I dunno, experiencing the culture of the country you are in you might be the problem.
I like that you manage to bash Kuwait in there without realizing this post exposes your terrible taste tho
Why would you assume that this was the only place I went to in Beijing, Kuwait? I really don’t think you and I would ever eat in the same restaurant, quite frankly. Unless the Hard Rock is relocating to another venue, they might just be relieved to leave your country, like Virgin for example. Virgin Megastores are also successful all over the world, but was pulled from the Kuwait market. Maybe next in line will be Ooredoo? Local governments should not interfere in the decisions of private foreign businesses.
Virgin is Successful?
125 stores in the UK, all closed
35 stores in France, all closed
24 stores in Australia, all closed
23 stores in the US, all closed
22 stores in Japan, all closed
Where is this success all over the world you speak of?
Every post of yours is “Kuwait sucks and here’s why” except half your “facts” are misheard anecdotes.
People are confusing the building with the cafe that was occupying the building. I dont think the building was built or owned by hard rock cafe. If anything hard rock cafe was only renting or leasing. Thwt whole water front is developed by the owners of marina mall so i wouldnt be surprised if that building was owned by the same company too.
Of course the new occupants of that building must have sought permission to demolish and build a new buildinig instead.
I personally never thought the building was good looking so I actually don’t have an issue with it getting demolished.
The government should preserve all the buildings from Kuwait’s ‘Golden Age’ (1960-1989)
The ‘Golden Age’ buildings are a daily reminder that Kuwait was once the pioneer state
this is not a golden age building…
You’re in luck all the hospitals and schools are already from the 80s :/
Good riddance. A Hard Rock needs music and without that, at least have good food.
I wonder who took the guitar at the front door? 🙂
I was living in Mahboula and did my grocery shopping at the Sultan Center Salmiya. On one of my grocery shopping trips, there’s a new Hard Rock, just across the street from Sultan Center. That was late ’04 or early ’05, I believe, so it had a ten year run. I remember a black Goth frock that belonged to Stevie Nicks. A couple of signed guitars by artists I cannot remember. Overall it was a decent experience. I went only once. Checked the “been there, done that” box. I preferred the burgers at Johnny Rockets in Marina Mall.
Good riddance! Hard Rock Cafe was already a tired franchise way past its expiry date when it came to Kuwait and that location was fugly
Hard Rock without their signature “Hurricane” drink is simply not worth it and will never be the real deal……….. I couldn’t care less about their virgin wannabe versions.
Ahh, what a shame?! Sad to see an iconic building reduced to rubble just like that. Could they not have improvised on it to make way for the Babel??
Sad to see this iconic building go. It feels like the passing of an era; an era of liberation in a newly Free Kuwait. Too bad they could not improvise on this building for the all new Babel.
so, where is the new Hardrock?
Went by on saturday (27th) and the car and the keyboard were still hanging with most everything else demolished. Wondering if they are contemplating on what to do with the car and key board??
I just passed by hard rock few days ago I don’t know if the builder was knowing what hes saying but he said hard rock is coming back so I think if thts true that’ll be wonderful!!