Our Story
2009
In November 2009, after several years of holding and throwing dinners and house parties for family and friends, Elie and Micky took their dreams a step further, and decided to open a bar, diving into the hospitality industry.
2010
A couple of months later, Elie & Micky found and secured a small space in the charming street of Hamra. In June, the first member of the family, Oscar Wilde, opened its doors. Oscar Wilde witnessed the era of the cocktail and mixology renaissance in Beirut. While it was influenced by the old school bartending practices, it rapidly took a different path thanks to its free-minded approach to this business.
2011
The project took some time to shape up, but it turned out to be a great success. The founders still had their daytime jobs, but the place needed more attention. Elie took a leave from his job in March, and started structuring the operations at Oscar Wilde, testing the grounds of life outside his consulting job.
Few months later, it was the start of something new – the founders quit their jobs, confident that Oscar Wilde was a solid stepping-stone into hospitality.
2012
The family started to grow bigger. Elie and Micky struck up a friendship with Santana, the now famous principal bartender at Vyvyan’s.
The next chapter of our story was to be written in Mar Mikhael - a charming industrial neighborhood that would later become Beirut’s bar and nightlife hub. Elie and Micky launched Vyvyan’s, one of the first dive bars to open in Mar Mikhael. As the decade unfolded, Vyvyan's matured gracefully into an institution, with the boys in denim shirts who simply rock, remaining forever loyal to the place and the neighborhood.
Six months later, after a challenging final week of work, tastings, and training with Elie in the kitchen, the Wisors family’s first restaurant, The Happy Prince, opened its doors. It was one of the first restaurants to drive Mar Mikhael to the food and beverage scene in. The aim was to create an experience where food collides spectacularly with spirits, wines, and cocktails - and hospitality of course - in a casual and vibrant setting without pretense.
2013
Another Six months later, in December of 2013, a new bar-café, Kissproof Beirut, opened its doors in Badaro – it was the birth of the fourth member of the family in a calm neighborhood known for its vibrant past. The place was created to serve sophisticated bar food, elegant cocktails, and a wide variety of beers as an all-day gathering spot.
2014
Camille Njeim joined the group. Despite his limited exposure to the hospitality field, Camille rapidly showed eagerness and passion for the industry, specifically in bartending, its history, cocktails, and mixes, and with a true love for this craft. This knowledge coupled with an ever-present sense of fun and humor that he brought to Kissproof Beirut led him to eventually become The Principal Bartender and Beverage Program Director at WHG.
2015
It was crucial for the founders to structure and consolidate the organization behind Vyvyan’s, The Happy Prince, and Kissproof Beirut. They felt the need to create a management entity to centralize all kitchen preparation, administration, and back of house works. The central kitchen and offices were set and operational in August of this year, just across the street from The Happy Prince.
2016
Oscar Wilde served its last drinks in September. Goodbye Hamra, we were grateful for all the good times and opportunities you gave us!
2017
The group was looking to diversify its hospitality activities. They partnered up with Decks On The Beach, a clubbing group hosting international DJs for the summer, and took over the management of the bars and grills at the Sporting Club in Beirut for an entire summer. The deal was to make sure our family would be “the driving force” behind the bar, serving booze, house cocktails, and of course grilling the finest burgers in town.
2018
Among the multiple activities including New Years Eve at Sama Beirut, Decks on The Beach Season 2, and many other private and family parties and events, The Happy Prince witnessed a glamorous revamp, allowing the restaurant to bloom once again.
2019
In September, the Group organized an “end of summer” gathering for family and friends, relocating its operations to a beautiful public beach in Damour. Food, beverage and a music program were organized in a mind-blowing setting far from the city, with the weekend culminating in a sunset dance party in an abandoned silk factory overlooking banana fields.
In the course of this year, the concept of establishing a bar in Paris took shape, and the fruition of this idea materialized in the year 2022 when the place was successfully opened.
End of the year, Kissproof Beirut was ready for a revamp, which boosted its energy to the next level.
2020
The tragic events of the 4th of August destroyed our places, not our dreams!
We were really lucky to be surrounded by family and friends
The circumstances in 2020 were challenging, prompting us to expand and diversify our business.
Sadly, The Happy Prince never reopened, but it was meant to be reborn differently later on.
The sorrow was heart-wrenching, yet we knew we had to rise again, and give people the chance to overcome the grief and try to enjoy life despite the challenging circumstances.
Hibernating until December, Kissproof Beirut soared once more.
The comeback was tough, but necessary, yet the outcome was amazing.
2021
In March, and after several months, Vyvyan’s gladly reopened its doors with the same spirit spreading positive vibes.
In October, we finally found a suitable location in Paris, and subsequently, active efforts were initiated to commence the development and preparation of the chosen venue, in order to turn it into the “long awaited” bar
2022
In April, we embarked on the development of The Terrible Prince. The decision emerged from our commitment to sustained growth and the desire to revive a dream that we had to put on hold back in 2020. This venture symbolizes not only our dedication to progress but also the resilience to reclaim aspirations that were temporarily set aside during challenging times.
On the other hand, and while finalizing our new place in Paris, we were gladly able to bring key people from Lebanon, who took charge of the design aspects and executed all the essential tasks required for a successful opening. Their expertise and contributions played a crucial role in ensuring that the venue was not only aesthetically pleasing but also functionally prepared for a triumphant launch.
In November, our concept turned into reality, as Kissproof Belleville saw the light.
2023
In November, our relentless hard work and unwavering dedication manifested in our greatest success to date for Kissproof Belleville – winning the esteemed "Meilleur Bar d'Auteur" award presented by The Fooding.
This recognition stands as a testament to the exceptional effort and commitment invested in our endeavors, marking a significant milestone in our journey toward excellence in the culinary and hospitality domain.
2024
In January 2024, a testament to our perseverance and adaptability unfolded with the establishment of The Terrible Prince.
This venture, born from the ashes of the challenging circumstances encountered in 2020, serves as a tangible manifestation of our ability to turn adversity into opportunity.