Le Petit Paris 75, a Parisian bar in the Pigalle san franciscain –

Barely pushed the door of 515 Broadway, we find ourselves transported thousands of kilometers from San Francisco: the voice of Jean Ferrat reminds us that the mountain is beautiful, then that of Gainsbourg takes us in his "comic strip". On the walls, photos and engravings of Paris, and behind the bar, Kam Halliche, owner of the premises since last November.

"The area already has many bars. With the Petit Paris 75, I wanted to offer something different, a real Parisian bar with wines, beers and cold meats and cocktails ”, says the owner. The choice of location is also strategic: “It’s popular, it’s touristy, between the Italian, Chinese and Financial District districts. With all the clubs on Broadway, it feels like Pigalle."
The opening of Petit Paris 75 is the result of many years of hard work and judiciously saved money: “I got my green card in the lottery three years ago. I settled in Emeryville, and I did odd jobs“, Explains the former computer student. "I wanted to continue my studies, but the cost was too high. Instead, I worked 90 hours a week to save as much as possible.”One of these odd jobs brings Kam Halliche to work at Rosenblum Cellars, which offers wine tastings in Oakland:“From table cleaning, I became a waiter, then a manager of the place. It made me want to open my own bar.”An opportunity found on Craigslist allows Kam Halliche to make his dream come true.

The young man, who hardly spoke English before his expatriation, is very comfortable with the customers of Petit Paris 75. "During the week, I tend to receive locals, and at weekends, it is more tourists who stop for a drink. I try to attract both types of customers.”Kam Halliche has also chosen to keep the star ceiling, inherited from the previous owner of the premises, in order to keep the customers who frequented the bar before its takeover.
On the few screens that light up the cozy atmosphere of Petit Paris 75, black and white classics catch the eye: “I wanted to add a vintage and original touch: you can taste your glass of wine while watching old movies, instead of the sports meetings that you usually find in bars."To add to the lounge atmosphere, acoustic concerts are scheduled on Wednesday and Thursday, while the weekend gives way to RnB, pop and dance.

A follower of social media marketing, Kam Halliche hopes to quickly establish himself on the San Francisco bar scene: “I know that the first year will be the hardest. I hope that in a year, I will have gained popularity and loyalty with my customers. I am confident: there are a lot of French in San Francisco, and the Americans love Paris. My goal is really to bring the two communities together in this bar."