For over six decades, Madame Lucie's unassuming manicure shop has been a hidden gem in bustling Cairo, preserving the city's golden age glamour. Attracting a loyal clientele of cultural icons and stars seeking her expert touch, she maintains the shop's bygone charm.
Nestled inconspicuously in a narrow alley branching off from one of Cairo's main thoroughfares, Madame Lucie's manicure salon has managed to survive the relentless march of time and progress that has transformed much of the Egyptian capital. Flanked by sleek modern cafes, trendy fashion boutiques, and ubiquitous fast food chains, the little shop's enduring presence is a testament to the reverence and loyalty commanded by its eponymous proprietor - 88-year-old Layla Abdel Hakim Mekhtegian, better known simply as "Madame Lucie."
Stepping inside Madame Lucie's salon is akin to entering a time capsule, instantly transporting visitors back to Cairo's cosmopolitan heyday of the 1950s and 60s when the city's glitterati flocked to her expert care. The shop, which lays claim to being Egypt's oldest manicure establishment, exudes an irresistible old-world charm that has remained virtually unchanged since first opening its doors in December 1960.
"Everything here is as it was 64 years ago," explains Madame Lucie, an elegant woman of Armenian descent who received her education in France. From the retro fluorescent signage outside bearing her name in both Arabic and French to the antique manicure tables and sepia-toned photographs of illustrious former patrons adorning the walls inside, the salon maintains a frozen-in-time quality that enchants her customers. "Don't change a thing," they often implore her, captivated by the nostalgic aura.
And what a star-studded roster of patrons she attracted over the years. Madame Lucie's client list reads like a veritable who's who of Egypt's cultural pantheon from that golden era. She fondly recalls how celebrated novelist and Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz would pop in for a trim, his fans waiting outside hoping for an autograph from the literary giant. French-Italian singing sensation Dalida was "always punctual" for her appointments, often drawing her own adoring fans to the salon upon learning of her patronage. The "charming" Omar Sharif, Madame Lucie recounts with a soft sigh, was a man of few words as he sat in her chair, his dashing good looks no doubt leaving her starstruck.
As a member of Cairo's once thriving Armenian community, which peaked at around 45,000 in the 1950s and played an outsized role in shaping the city's economic and cultural landscape, Madame Lucie's success story embodies their entrepreneurial spirit. Along with a handful of other Armenian-owned businesses, her salon somehow managed to survive the nationalization policies of President Gamal Abdel Nasser in the 1960s that sent many others packing.
Madame Lucie discovered her passion and talent for the manicurist's craft at the tender age of 14, mentored by a woman named Marie at the now-shuttered but once renowned Bata department store in Cairo. With her husband Jimmy by her side and the financial backing of a Jewish investor, she transformed a former printing press into her own salon, where she has ardently preserved the traditional nail treatments of that era while eschewing modern trends favored by contemporary nail spas.
But the treatments offered by Madame Lucie go beyond mere aesthetics, with many loyal customers seeking relief for painful conditions like calluses, ingrown nails, and dead skin accumulation. "It is more of a treatment than a cosmetic thing," affirms Effat Adel, a 50-something housewife who has frequented the salon for an astonishing 37 years and counting. Veteran journalist Sabry Ghoneim, an 89-year-old client for over four decades, credits the "peace of mind" he finds in Madame Lucie's shop that keeps him coming back.
Despite entreaties from some to expand her brand, Madame Lucie remains resolute in maintaining the salon's snug, homey feel and resists the temptation to extend her dominion. "Why would I? This place is home," she states matter-of-factly, content with her single outpost so steeped in history and personal meaning. Each year she updates the sign outside to reflect the shop's growing vintage, a number she wears as a badge of honor. This coming December, it will quietly mark a remarkable 65 years in business.
As Cairo continues its dizzying pace of development, with old world establishments disappearing by the day, Madame Lucie's manicure shop stands defiantly as a symbol of continuity, good taste, and tradition amidst a sea of modern sterility. A visit to her salon offers a welcome respite and comforting connection to the city's former glory, when life was a bit slower, grace and elegance were the norm, and a manicure could be savored as a simple, timeless luxury to regularly treat oneself. For as long as the inimitable Madame Lucie holds fort, armed with an emery board and an easy smile, Cairo's golden age will never entirely fade away.
With AFP
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