OUR STORY
The Hawa Music story began in 1948 when Cesar Hawa opened his first store for radios and electronics in Aley, Lebanon. This store provided electronic equipment to customers in the region and helped establish Cesar as a respected businessman in the community. However, Cesar had a vision of expanding his business and saw greater potential for growth in Latakiah, Syria. As a result, in 1950 he made the decision to relocate his store to Latakiah.
In addition to selling Sony and Philips products, Cesar also introduced Hohner musical instruments to the Syrian market during this time. This marked Cesar’s first involvement in the music industry and laid the foundation for his future success as a provider of high-quality musical equipment. Despite the success of his business in Syria, Cesar was forced to return to Lebanon in 1963 due to political unrest in the country.
Upon his return to Lebanon, Cesar opened a new store in the busy Hamra district of Beirut. This store quickly became one of the major distributors of Sony products in the country and helped establish Cesar as a respected businessman in Lebanon. During this time, Cesar’s interest in the musical instruments industry grew even further, and he became one of the first people in Lebanon to import musical instruments directly from countries such as Italy, the USA, Czechoslovakia, and Japan. This helped Cesar establish himself as one of the top providers of musical equipment in the region.
In 1982, Cesar opened a new branch in Adonis, which became the flagship location for the Cesar Hawa Music Store brand. However, due to the ongoing war in Beirut, Cesar was forced to close the Hamra branch and concentrate the music business at the Adonis location. Despite the difficult circumstances, Cesar opened a new branch in Jdeideh, next to the Almaza factory. As Cesar’s sons Salim and Nicolas became more involved in the business, it was rebranded as Cesar Hawa and Sons. However, the Jdeideh branch was ultimately forced to close due to the expanding conflict in 1988.
In 1997, after a lengthy absence from the Beirut area, Cesar Hawa and Sons returned to the capital with a new store in Mkalles. This store continues to serve as a hub for professional and amateur musicians, offering a wide range of instruments and services. In 2008, the business was split between Cesar’s sons, leading to the creation of the Hawa Music brand. This brand builds on the legacy of perseverance and determination established by Cesar, who worked tirelessly to establish his business and provide high-quality musical equipment to customers in Lebanon.