SLT Dirty Bar Street Shakeup Continues With Razing of Nightclubs

原创 Kyle M. theBeijinger

Dirty Bar Street continues on its march towards complete upheaval. During a recent visit, we noticed that the demolitions that kicked off roughly a year ago had extended further east on the once debaucherous Sanlitun strip to long-running clubs like Youth Club. And the changes haven't stopped there. Another of the side street's stalwarts of a far different kind, the branch of local Italian chain La Pizza on the ground floor of 3.3 Mall, will shut down on Apr 5 because the space’s rent is set to double.

Vittoria Zhang, co-owner of La Pizza, confirmed the closure to the Beijinger late Sunday night, Apr 1, adding that the closure is bolstered by the landlord's planned changes to gas lines in that section of the building. Zhang didn't seem to be crestfallen, however, citing La Pizza’s other locations around town and the forthcoming opening of a new branch in Wangjing later this month or in early May.

Sure, many a passersby may argue that the recently demolished bars and shops opposite La Pizza, like Youth Club, have seen better days (to say the least). But those businesses were still a hallmark of a different era for the strip, one that was far less polished than its soon to be completed, library housing iteration.

Beijing Boyce spotted the newly-painted Youth Club in Sanlitun Soho

Anyone pining for those ousted businesses can at least console themselves at south neighboring Sanlitun Soho, which is quickly becoming the de facto Dirty Bar Street 2.0. For instance, Jim Boyce of Beijing Boyce fame recently posted about Youth Club opening a new location in Soho. Decade-old Aperitivo was way ahead of that curve, closing its Dirty Bar Street café before the demolitions began and slinging its Italian bistro fare on Sanlitun Soho's ground floor by the beginning of last summer instead. And while First Floor (arguably the strip's busiest pub over the years), still stands as is, its owners seemed to be hedging their bets by opening a second Sanlitun Soho location back in November.

More than a few familiar dirty bar street favorites have remained steadfast, however. Biteapitta is still holding on strong at its Tongli location, and Mokihi No. 3 owner Moto Uchiyama says the rent hike and gas line changes that are leading to La Pizza's departure aren't going to affect his bar a few floors up. Luga's, located just off the strip's east end, is also still up and running with no plans to close. Recent entries Yi Pin Xiao Long eatery and Aurora nightclub might also satisfy the strip's regular visitors (many of whom are sure to consider that nightclub an undeniable upgrade to the dingier Youth Club, anyway).

Regardless, it's tough to deny that the strip is steadily losing its grit. And no matter how you feel about the changes, we can all agree that Dirty Bar Street's status as the quintessential Beijing party byway has now shifted to a prime example of the city's speedy renewal.

Photos: Andy Penafuerte