Heaven Supermarket Opens Third, Huge Venue Plus Dance Floor (!)
When there were rumblings that Heaven Supermarket – that bastion of all things corrupt, seedy, and therefore fun on Xindong Lu – was facing eviction back in September of last year, Beijing's collective consciousness spasmed. Was this something to commend or mourn? In a way, if a place like Heaven couldn't exist in Beijing, then it would be a shift in the boundaries of decency allowed to us – the young, the indecent, the still-drunk-at-8am. If we couldn't have that little corner of mischief then what could we have?
Heaven wouldn't be Heaven without the fridges
Of course, this was all before the new-norm of "expect everything to close imminently if it hasn't already" in 2017, lending eating and drinking a kind of nihilistic sentiment, especially in the hutongs (and now Dirty Bar Street). Despite those initial fears of closure, Heaven has bounced from strength to strength, surviving the threats of their landlord and then opening a massive shiny new joint in the heart of Sanlitun's throbbing club scene, Gongti.
If you squint you can see where the seating meets the horizon
Now 10 years in, Gabrielle, the soft-spoken co-owner of Sanlitun's trailblazing bottle bar, states "Heaven has grown up." This third phase in Heaven's ascent is best described as a combination of its first two outings. It's on Xindong Lu, literally 30 meters north of the original venue, taking up the basement-level space of the recently deceased Fiesta Tex-Mex; it's a tad smaller than their Gongti venue but at 100 tables (half inside, half outside), it's still absolutely massive and will make for a great spot to lap up autumn; it still serves the same batches of beer, wine, and spirits, though has less fridge space, instead opting to serve a number of the most popular varieties as six packs to drink in or take away; finally, the food menu is the same as what can be found in Gongti.
Ladies and gentlemen: Beijing's answer to Berghain
However, there are a couple of tweaks to the old Heaven formula that may just make this their most popular venue to date. The first and simpler addition is six taps dedicated to craft beer, which will be provided by Beiping Machine. But that's nothing compared to the unchartered territory that is: a holy Heaven dance floor. If they get their bookings right, this could transform Heaven from a pre- and post-drinking spot into a certified Beijing Berghain with its dark corners, wondering hands, writhing nudity, and general illicit acts of hedonism. Yes, a Heaven dance floor is certainly something to be reckoned with.
More seating outside
If dancing in Heaven for the rest of your life sounds like fun, head over from 7pm tonight for their official opening party. DJs start at 10pm and include Sun Meng, MC Webber (Raddam Ras), and Kaize christening the decks for a night of techno, reggae, hip-hop, funk, and Chicago house. We suggest getting there early in order to experience these pristine and inexplicably spacious toilets:
I give them 10 minutes
Heaven Supermarket (pt. III)
B1, Bldg 3, 12 Xindong Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区新东路12号3号楼地下一层
Photos: Tom Arnstein
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