It was the last establishment in France. The Hard Rock Cafe in Paris, of the American restaurant chain of the same name, has closed its doors, noted Wednesday, November 20AFP.
“We regret to inform you that we are closed. We thank you as well as the city of Paris which has always welcomed us warmly and enthusiastically.” indicates a sign in French and English placed in front of the establishment located on Boulevard Montmartre, in the heart of the capital.
The Hard Rock Cafe International group is a chain of restaurants, hotels and casinos present in more than 70 countries around the world through some 250 establishments, according to its website. It is owned by the Seminole Native American tribe.
No communication from management
Hard Rock Cafes, famous for their collections of musical instruments that belonged to singers or rock groups, are popular with foreign tourists who often leave with a t-shirt – the brand's best-seller – as a souvenir of their visit.
The management of the Hard Rock Cafe in Paris, contacted Wednesday byAFP, was not able to provide information on the reasons for the closure or the number of employees employed, estimated at around 90 by some media.
The Parisian establishment, opened in 1991 and located on the Grand Boulevards, offered some 200 “original pieces by artists”: musical instruments, stage clothing, musicians' autographs and even personal documents that belonged to rock legends like Elvis Presley or Eric Clapton.
Closures in Lyon, Nice and Marseille
The Hard Rock Cafe establishment in Lyon had already closed its doors at the beginning of 2024 and that of Nice in September 2023, after that of Marseille in 2017.
According to the latest available accounts from the company Hard Rock Cafe France, the company reported a loss of 1.8 million euros for the 2022 financial year for its Paris establishment, i.e. double the previous year. . Its turnover stood at 8.7 million euros, compared to 3.4 million in 2021, and the company then indicated that it employed 96 employees.
The Nice establishment, for its part, ended its 2023 financial year with a loss of 3.8 million euros and a turnover of 2.5 million euros. It had 49 employees.
