Chaoyang West on the Chopping Block as Great Brickening Continues
Though Beijingers spent much of 2017 lamenting the “year of the great brickening” those unrelenting waves of redevelopment aren’t letting up now that 2018 is here. In fact one of the city's most well-established strip of restaurants, situated at the west gate of Chaoyang Park, is next on the chopping block.
Sources tell the Beijinger that some long-running businesses like Muse have already left the strip, while the rest will be gone between now and Chinese New Year at the very latest.
Wilson Zhang, a manager at the Annie’s branch on the strip, confirmed these new developments on the evening of Jan 6. He said the authorities recently gave he and his colleagues official notice that they will need to leave around Chinese New Year, though they have not been given a date yet.
Benjamin Devos, CEO of the Comptoirs de France bakery and cafe chain, says his branch on the Chaoyang West strip will close Jan 10.
Though he has 12 other Comptoirs branches across Beijing, Devos says it’s always a problem when this kind of sweeping and sudden closure take place, before lamenting just how tough the past year has been on business owners in Beijing.
“I can understand the closing of illegal businesses in other parts of town. But many of the businesses on this strip are licensed," Devos said.
The closure isn’t only disrupting Devos’ business — he also lives near Chaoyang Park’s west gate. “It’s quite troublesome for people who live nearby to have all those businesses leave, to have their community affected this way,” he says.
Other businesses on the strip include a branch of the popular Jenny Lou’s Western-style grocery store and Italian restaurant La Rucola (which went by the name Alio Olio at that location for years prior to changing its name in 2017).
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Email: kylemullin@truerun.com
Twitter: @MulKyle
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Photos: beijingrelocation.com
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katemesh88
Submitted by Guest on Tue, 01/09/2018 - 11:41 Permalink
Re: Chaoyang West on the Chopping Block as Great Brickening...
If there will be no Jenny Lou's, no bars and restaurants, less foreigners will live on the West gate.
Just like in SLT next to First Floor, most of the places have only local food now, so there are less foreigners partying on weekends.
Kyle Mullin
Submitted by Guest on Sun, 01/07/2018 - 18:50 Permalink
Re: Chaoyang West on the Chopping Block as Great Brickening...
Devos told me: “Chaoyang park landlord wants to redo all the building and destroy the ones that are not fully legal. They put on hold all the leases and refuse to renew the old ones. They are saying that they will réinvite (sic) us after the renovation.”
Environmentfriendly
Submitted by Guest on Sun, 01/07/2018 - 13:27 Permalink
Re: Chaoyang West on the Chopping Block as Great Brickening...
It could be for fire safety reasons. Most of these places had one exit only, just like the restaurant Alio Olio which was on 2nd floor. Wont be surprised if some 2nd floor Lucky street restaurants would go as most of them have only one exit whereas the requirement is of two exits for evacuation purposes.
Starlighter
Submitted by Guest on Sat, 01/06/2018 - 22:40 Permalink
Re: Chaoyang West On the Chopping Block, As Great Brickening...
Surprising and sad. This leaves very little in the way of shops or restaurants between Zaoying and Sanlitun. Very awkward for those of us who live and/or work in the area. Anyone know why this is happening?
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