Sanlitun bar street, Beijing's first and largest bar community, is shutting down for redevelopment.
Patrons paid their last visits, and the owners became sentimental as the 28-year-old nightlife hot spot, once the liveliest in Beijing, came to an end.
According to Jimu News, the tenants of the majority of the buildings along the street have been told to close their operations by January 31. Most of the buildings are considered unsafe.
The area will be subject to another round of renovation and expansion.
Stretching 260 meters, the street has more than 80 bars, or more than 60% of Beijing's bars. Due to its proximity to the embassy district and gathering of foreign-funded businesses, the lively area has always attracted large number of foreigners, white-collars and trendsetters since the first bar on the street opened in 1995.
Beijing Youth Daily reported that the construction of a slow traffic system and the renovation of the bar street will begin on February 8.