Bar Bits: Wine Warehouse Fire, Tongli Update, Newsletter News
Wine Warehouse Fire
ASC Fine Wines founder Don St. Pierre Sr says the company lost 20 percent of its stock in a recent fire that destroyed the company’s Beijing warehouse. ASC is shipping supplies to the capital from its operations countrywide. Meanwhile, VP Carrie Xuan says ASC will have its 24-hour delivery system on track next week and has been making deliveries within 72 hours this week. Don called the incident “another bump in the road,” a fitting image given his days and challenges at Beijing Jeep, and a “little baptism by fire” for new VP of Operations Werner Schuppisser. (Note: I’ve been to ASC’s warehouse and I’d describe it either as a) a temperature-controlled airport hanger with pallet after pallet of wine, or b) Shangri-la. It’s a sad day when that much wine is destroyed.)
Tongli Studio Update
Second-floor Tongli bars China Doll, Cheers and Taniwha have re-opened after fire safety inspectors shut them down two weeks ago. Top-floor bars Bar Blu and Kokomo re-opened earlier. I visited China Doll this week to chat with creative director Ai Wan and will include some notes on that in a future newsletter.
Newsletter News
Speaking of which, the newsletter (BB 33) was due out yesterday, but will likely end up in e-mail boxes this weekend. This one is a keeper - mainly because I didn’t write it! Instead, 15 readers picked their favorite Beijing bars and provided their thoughts on the city’s nightlife scene. For those F&B people who want to know what customers think, this issue has a wealth of information, even if the sample size is small. For those who enjoy visiting pubs, you might be surprised at - and not even recognize! - some of the favorites. (If you aren’t on the e-newsletter mailing list, but would like to be, email beijingboyce@yahoo.com with “eat, drink and be merry” in the subject line.)
3 Comments so far
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Pity for ASC!
24 hrs delivery is a real challenge, I can imagine the logistics behind.
Bar blu has been there for many years, was the corresponding authority not done its job right back then;
or are there new requirement for fire safety now?
Just curious.
Thanks for commenting AF.
And yes, it is a pity.
Since I arrived in Beijing just over two years ago, ASC has offered me, as a consumer, the best combination of Web site, portfolio, delivery, wine tasting events and promotions, and has a very helpful staff. The others do have their strengths - Summergate has a great portfolio; Torres sells my favorite Chinese wine - Grace; Palette, Summergate and Montrose have all had good wine tasting events - but ASC ofers the best overall package. The fire is a setback, but I have little doubt the company will quickly overcome it.
As for fire safety, I don’t have information re whether there are new requirements or not. If I make it down to Tongli this weekend, I’ll ask around.
Cheers, BB
[...] was unkind to Beijing establishments this year, including to the Hilton and to ASC Fine Wines’ Beijing warehouse, but most tragically in those cases where human lives were [...]