Café Riche was closed for almost a decade in the 1990s . A court case by the Egyptian government was brought against the café about a public passage the café occupied , causing a temporary close . The earthquake of October 1992 caused considerable damage and the café struggled to rebuild . The decline in popularity of the café has been credited to the rise of digital media . Formal meeting places like cafés have taken a backseat to online platforms and groups . Café Riche was a hub for large literary and intellectual groups to meet , but also youth in general . With the emergence of large shopping malls , small businesses are no longer the major gathering place for the younger generation , as it once was . Yet , during the 2011 revolution it served as a refuge to the many protesters in the city
earthquake of October 1992
1992 Cairo earthquake
Café Riche