Born on May 8, 1964, Khouri lived on the east side of Beirut, where his father worked as a chef.[4] The Lebanese Civil War broke out when he was 11-years-old,[2] but they stayed in Beirut because his family did not have the money to relocate.[3] From a young age, Khouri sold firecrackers, canned food, drinks, and clothing to make pocket money.[2][5] During the raids, he found that there was a food shortage, he started tuna and beef in his neighborhood which he used to buy clothes and later sold them at a profit.[6]