Ali Akbar, France's last newspaper hawker and a fixture of Paris's vibrant Left Bank, is set to receive the prestigious Order of Merit from President Emmanuel Macron next month. This recognition highlights Akbar’s enduring role in French culture during his impressive 50-year tenure selling newspapers.
Reflecting on his journey, Akbar recalls starting in 1973 when Paris had nearly 40 hawkers. "Now I am alone," he states, lamenting the shift to digital news consumption and the dwindling demand for printed papers. Nowadays, he sells about 30 copies of Le Monde on his daily rounds, a stark contrast to his earlier experiences when he would sell up to 80 copies within an hour after the afternoon release.
Despite the decline in sales, the spirited 72-year-old remains undeterred. "I do it for the sheer joy of it," he says. He cherishes the independence his career offers, and his presence is cherished by the local community. "He is like a brother," said a longtime customer. "He knows everyone and brings so much joy."
Akbar's journey began in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, in the late 1960s, leading him to Europe and eventually to Paris, where he gained residency in the 1980s. Throughout his career, he has mingled with notable personalities and witnessed the transformation of his beloved Saint-Germain neighborhood.
"The atmosphere isn't the same," he laments, recalling a bygone era filled with writers and musicians. While he grieves the loss of the area's soul to commercialization, he carries on his work with humor and zest, consistently serving as a beloved figure for both locals and visitors alike.
Reflecting on his journey, Akbar recalls starting in 1973 when Paris had nearly 40 hawkers. "Now I am alone," he states, lamenting the shift to digital news consumption and the dwindling demand for printed papers. Nowadays, he sells about 30 copies of Le Monde on his daily rounds, a stark contrast to his earlier experiences when he would sell up to 80 copies within an hour after the afternoon release.
Despite the decline in sales, the spirited 72-year-old remains undeterred. "I do it for the sheer joy of it," he says. He cherishes the independence his career offers, and his presence is cherished by the local community. "He is like a brother," said a longtime customer. "He knows everyone and brings so much joy."
Akbar's journey began in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, in the late 1960s, leading him to Europe and eventually to Paris, where he gained residency in the 1980s. Throughout his career, he has mingled with notable personalities and witnessed the transformation of his beloved Saint-Germain neighborhood.
"The atmosphere isn't the same," he laments, recalling a bygone era filled with writers and musicians. While he grieves the loss of the area's soul to commercialization, he carries on his work with humor and zest, consistently serving as a beloved figure for both locals and visitors alike.
