Souk El Tayeb Is Moving Out of Mar Mikhael, With NokNok Reportedly Moving In
Main image retrieved from Taste & Flavors.
For years, Souk El Tayeb did more than host a weekly farmers’ market. It created a space where Beirut dwellers met the people behind their food. Farmers came from Akkar, the Bekaa, the South, and the Chouf. Producers sold seasonal goods, home recipes, and crafts rooted in place, not trends.
Now, that space is disappearing.
According to circulating information, Souk El Tayeb is closing at its current location and moving elsewhere in Achrafieh. What replaces it is what’s causing frustration. A NokNok distribution center is reportedly set to open in its place. Even if Souk El Tayeb isn’t shutting down entirely, the loss of that specific space still matters.
Why This Matters
This shift reflects a wider change in how Beirut’s neighborhoods function. A community-driven market is giving way to a logistics hub. One invited people to linger, talk, taste, and learn. The other optimizes speed, storage, and delivery routes. That contrast explains why many people feel upset at the loss of a place that quickly felt like home.
To be clear, NokNok isn’t the villain. Delivery platforms respond to demand, and many people rely on them daily. However, replacing a shared cultural space with a distribution center says something about priorities. It favors efficiency over experience and convenience over connection.
Souk El Tayeb represented an alternative economic model. It supported small-scale farmers directly, encouraged local consumption, and kept money circulating within communities that often struggle to survive. Losing that physical presence weakens visibility for producers who already operate on thin margins.
Beirut doesn’t lack commercial infrastructure. It lacks accessible spaces that center local labor, food sovereignty, and human exchange. So even if Souk El Tayeb continues elsewhere, this moment still deserves attention. Because once these spaces disappear from neighborhoods, they rarely come back.
How do you feel about Souk El Tayeb being replaced by a NokNok distribution center in Mar Mikhael? Make sure to check out the #Support Local section to continue supporting local artisans, producers, farmers, and business owners!
