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Company type | Bar |
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Founded | 1996 |
Headquarters | 15, in various countries, Paris |
Website | www |
The Buddha-Bar is a bar, restaurant, and hotel franchise created by French-Romanian restaurateur Raymond Vișan, with its original location having opened in Paris, France in 1996.[1] The Buddha Bar "soon became a reference among foreign yuppies and wealthy tourists visiting the city",[1] and "has spawned numerous imitators",[2] becoming popular in part because of the DJ's choice of eclectic, avant-garde music. It became known internationally for issuing the Buddha Bar compilation albums, which are popular compilations of lounge, chill-out music and world music, also under the Buddha Bar brand,[1] released by George V Records. Buddha Bar "has made a name for itself with its Zen lounge music CDs and remains a hit – especially with tourists".[3] Locations have since been opened in a number of other countries, although not without controversy arising from the theme.