By Jim Boyce

Look for The Loop — sharing the same street as Nearby the Tree, Friend Bar and Two Guys and a Pie behind Yashow Market in Beijing — to soon reinvent itself as far less restaurant and far more wine bar and retail shop.

Manager Weiley Lu says he expects to serve the last supper on Wednesday night before undergoing renovations and reopening in May. Lu, who is completing his Wine and Spirits Education Trust diploma, aims to provide a venue not only for people to stop by and drink a few bottles but also to take some home.

Here is hoping he does for wine what nearby Heaven Supermarket did for beer, which was to bring together over a hundred options from more than a dozen countries at prices that encouraged customers to explore. A place that offers good prices on some standard wines along with those from lesser-known distributors, brands and grape varieties would be welcome.

Given Lu’s kitchen experience, expect the reinvented Loop to offer snacks. It will also serve as a venue for small wine events. I’ve organized a few of tastings at The Loop and it works as a laid-back spot to gather a half-dozen to ten people and sample wines.

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