Apollo, Great Leap #45 Announce Closure

Like dominos falling, so too are a number of Beijing eateries and bars biting the dust this week, with Larry the Bird being joined by fellow Sanlitun eateries Apollo and Great Leap #45 in announcing closures or potential closures.

It’s been a feeling of whiplash for some Beijing residents who frequent these eateries, and there’s a commonality with the closures. All three have cited issues with landlords, rent, or economic issues in general as reason for calling it quits, with Great Leap telling the Beijinger they are still in negotiations with their Xinyuanli landlord to see if they can remain open.

As for the other two venues, both will be having massive going away parties in the form of weekend-long affairs, with Apollo's kicking off tonight and Larry the Bird's kicking off tomorrow.

But whereas Apollo and Great Leap have backup plans – Apollo will move their favorite menu items to Eastend next door, while Great Leap still has three locations in operation around Beijing – it might be a while until Larry the Bird makes a comeback. 

Elsewhere in Beijing, changes are coming to the Sanlitun embassy area, with Yunnan joint In and Out and the branch of April Gourmet in that location closing down for renovations. The April branch was being gutted as of today, Nov 8, with staff there telling the Beijinger that they’d reopen at an unspecified date.

While In and Out and April may be in the clear and Great Leap #45 is a maybe, Apollo and Larry the Bird are not so fortunate. It’ll be sad to see them go, so be sure to get out to these three spots this weekend and help them make it a goodbye to be remembered.

READ: Larry the Bird Leaves the Sanlitun Nest This Week

Images: the Beijingers, Uni You, courtesy of the venues