Super Bar Street: Enter at your own risk
Long-time contributor lomsaku added the following comment to this post about Super Bar Street. I think it deserves its own post and is particularly relevant for those thinking of heading to that area (the highlights are mine):
I met my friend at Biteapita for dinner tonight, it’s still open as of today. There were a handful of customers enjoying one last meal at the falafel house. The owners said he still isn’t sure if his building will be demolished.
Before the meal, I snuck my bike past the yellow police tape, to take a gander at the old street. The place was swarming with dudes decked out in camo, carrying big sticks, and generally looking menacing. Every bar, restaurant, and shop from New Get Lucky to the back end of the street was closed and gutted. Many of the windows have been smashed and glass and other junk filled the street. I was worried I was going to pop a tire. Everyone inside “the zone” looked like they were either a hired thug or part of the demolition team. No sign of any of the proprietors.
The most worrying thing I noticed was that Tim’s was closed. The sign in the window stated they were temporarily out of service. I got off my bike and climbed onto the patio to see if Tim or any of his staff was inside. When I got close enough to see through the glass door, I could tell that a lot of Tim’s paraphernalia was still hanging on the walls – and there on the inside looking out at me were a pair of bruisers wearing camouflage staring back at m
That gave me a jolt, so I hopped back on my bike and peddled the heck out of there.
On my way out, I caught a group of brave souls attempting to shoot some kind of video documentary.
I wouldn’t recommend hanging around the street, not safe.
People continually ask why, given how much I write about bars in Beijing, I don’t open my own place. Gee, I don’t know, dozens of people invest in businesses, get a handful of weeks notice that they need to leave, receive, according to several of them, no compensation, and soon have thugs all over the place. On top of that, word is that one bar owner was so badly beaten she was hospitalized.
Not exactly an ideal investment environment. But at least the Western media is picking up this story. Oh wait, it isn’t. I guess no one can spare a few hours from writing about Twitter being blocked in China or pondering what will happen this Thursday.
See also:
- Live blogging: The Super Bar Street countdown…
- Photos: Super Bar Street countdown…
- Super Bar Street countdown: A night at Tim’s Texas Roadhouse
- End of an error: Super Bar Street to meet the wrecking ball?
