THE brick bar

2009-2010 Beijing, China

PLACES

Black Right Arrow

THE brick bar: Shuangjing Neighborhood Bar: Beijing, China: 2009-2010: ACT 1

This was my first child.

my first MAJOR responsibility in the world of serving the public. The great people. I spent roughly ten months hanging out in Beijing, China doing nothing. Which is what I copied from observing most other expact who living outside their native country dodging the responsibilities… Doing nothing. Well, I did a lot of traveling around, pissing on the sidewalk, and I obtained my TEFL International: 120/hr TESOL certificate while doing nothing. Which is quite the accomplishment. Far more than other and I can say that without regret!

Behaving like every single foreign who freshly steps off the boat into ultimate freedom of a foreign country. The Chinese world was welcoming and wide open for in China, Human Rights go a loooong way! In China, one(1) can do anything human he so deems a “necessity” and foregoes only one rule.

“Don’t harm anyone.”

“Do anything you want to do as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone.” – famous words from a Chinese bartender.

During my times of teaching fake English, trashing & bashing the bar scene as well as the local female population with international mates, mainly British cunts. I was always searching, watching, and talking to folks about opening a business in Beijing. I invited so many people into my plans and operations looking for help and money, for no one came. Everyone was busy in their own mindless mishaps blunders. Foreigners in China… That’s a long story around the campfire. There was but one exception and he’ll get mentioned near the end of this story.

Chine, was easy! If one studied USA economic history and followed the over-glamorized advertisement concepts of “niche” markets. China was ripe for the picking. Just be a cool foreigner looking different from others by wearing cool tattoos, and express cool ideas, and try to make everyone around you believe you’re some kind of rockstar celebrity, and they will! I mean, that’s what the USA Hollywood movie & music industry pumps out to the world. Lives residing on the other side of the USA borders! Propaganda to the poorly misguided craving morons. On the other hand, boosted my confidence in achieving my goals of China mainland domination!. One female at a time. Mao style! HAHA!

I had all the experience I needed. Schooling, a tiny bit of bar experience, tons of restaurant training. A website with a screen name of BRICK with followers that massed into the hundreds. Hundreds in 2008 was some top shit in the expact online game. ! Oh, and some balls. Opening a bar entrepreneur style in not one’s own county does take some balls! Which may not have had any control over the development of THE brick bar, cough cough, but did make for some interesting evenings. I have never experienced any form of popularity and mostly shy away, but at that time, it was kinda cool! I met so many people from around the world drinking in my establishment where I guaranteed NO FAKE BOOZE. If only I kept a book of Flags.

With my goals and ideas ahead of me, it wasn’t long till THE brick bar started to come to life in Shuangjing, Beijing, China. An American neighborhood bar concept in a neighborhood full of foreigner whom were thirsty and dreaded the long taxi ride into Sanlitun. In 2009, Shuangjing was a growing environment that simply needed a neighborhood bar and we were the first establishment on the block followed by Lilys American Dinner and nameless others.

This won’t be the story of how THE brick bar went on to make Shuagjing a destination neighboorhood for future foreigners moving into Beijing, nor will this be the story of how THE brick bar opened up the much need alternative to Sanlitun Bar street, nor will I be naming the number of folks that can claim their “name to fame” off my coat tails.

I have to say that this project as with all my project in the Beijing scene was of my money, my recipes, fifty percent my hands100% mine in every way because I could see no other way due to the selection of Individuals at hand. And yes it was I, Brick O’Neal® that introduced PBR to the scene. I believe one famous Jim Boyce has a statement about that. Talking about supply runs! Jezz

No immediate outside help, inspiration, nor money made this happen. Pure talent as a business-minded hard working individual and the drive to leave America that projected me forward for another six years. Talking about not liking the Obama years.

Na, this will just a story with a few photos to share the moments of expressed meanings and slander of the past. All that sex, drugs, & rock n roll shit will be laid out in one of my upcoming books.

There will be a three-part series telling all the Tenacious D shit.

Confessions of an English teacher: Beijing Edition

by Brick O’Neal

My first illegal hire expact bartender made this for me. Still in my possession to this day.

ACT 1

The first few weeks of opening we kept decoration and liquor supplies as simple as the money allowed. Opening a bar under twenty US grand was tight but manageable. Keeping it that K.I.S.S. was the only smart way to go. I recycled two doors from the old hair saloon business that once occupied the shop space and hand painted everything! Even Myspace was favored over FB back in those days.As you can see, a lot of thought went into the making of this official outdoor sign. I mean.. It was weird for there were only two foreseeable ways for all the companions of China to manufacture the sign which fit this layout and making it into one unit was one of them. Completely no-can-do. So it was either divided it into two sections which looked like shit or break it up into four. One can see what I went with for the end. Simple and sweet. We had to install a second level which got several upgrades during the years of THE brick bar’s opening. The photo above pictures the first installment. It would be some eleven months later that until would be able to extend the second level to allow for more table room for during those days… We were a hopping business! Once people discovered us, it was on! Maps on the back of business cards always made it easier for the customer. Can you find THE brick bar? I personal painted the walls black and left white chalk about the place. People loved leaving a little something behind their visits and so did I. There was so always too much writing on the walls.

Secret cabinets that held the boose where hidden behind the menu which was super easy to create and the menus became more creative over time due to some crafty artist friends and his skill!! This is a great idea that I came up with for decoration. I would bounce back and forth with mixed feelings that I did “do” this, but to give it that extra oddness, that extra Brick O’Neal®, I would place my “concert” shirts in frames and hang them up. I loved it. It was my bar my way, and it was all me. Notice the cases of PBR? Talking about starting a trend in Beijing. The story on how we did that shit alone can make a short book! Hoot! Pictured above as well as the view from my place at the bar when I wasn’t behind it. A quick meet and greet, plus I could see and interact with everything and everyone one and believe me… I always had to be on my toes and keep a watchful eye.

I just came across some old footage of the renovation of THE brick bar. Check out my business partner tell those workers what to do. I don’t even remember filming. I must just have bought a new iPhone or something.

I and some friends would sneak out in the dark just to cut chains and carry off old bikes off the street, bring them back to the bar and hang them on the wall. So many short stores whet into the making of this place. A short story on collect all the TV’s in the place. A short story on learning what shitting in the towel was not ever going to work. The day we start selling draft! Strongbow Cider, Aisha Dry, and… and… I had one sexy worker! Door greeter, table cleaner, keep the lonely man company while he was drinking kind of working girl! Damn, damn. Do China long enough, you’ll see everyone one in business knows how important a ” door greeter ” is!

Santa Con Morning!

Taking a break to post up with the DUDE! We would run a fun The Big Lebowski on the weekly with cheap drinks. Great! people from all over came to watch the film and indulged on bargain price white Russians. !A popular writer with a popular book even took the time to represent THE brick bar! Thank you, popular dude, where ever popular you live! So THE brick bar was so hot and full of itself at one time too so many of us. That there were a few brave souls who made it a mission to remember it forever! Thanks, guys! Say my name say my name! I want to thank everyone that was a part of THE brick bar! It’s having a good long steady run of 10 years. An accomplishment few bars in Beijing can admit too. I know we all carried some great times, some great memories no matter who owned it!.


Oh yes! I sold it one year three months after I created it to an English speaking British dude by the ​name of.. oh who cares. Let’s just say he played a Sanlitun bar manager job hopping game well with ​a few friends in dark corners of the F&B scene. Powdered slopes in the kitchen were more fun than ​running a business and sadly he lost it within a two year time handing the keys over to a Chinese ​guy who took it to the new heights. Oh, and being a Chinese guy, he made a copycat bar of THE brick ​bar, a THE brick Bar II right next door. Which was awesome for me to see a time when people were ​getting double bricked!Oh yes! I sold it one year three months after I created it to an English ​speaking British dude by the name of.. oh who cares. Let’s just say he played a Sanlitun bar manager ​job hopping game well with a few friends in dark corners of the F&B scene. Powdered slopes in the ​kitchen were more fun than running a business and sadly he lost it within a two year time handing ​the keys over to a Chinese guy who took it to the new heights. Oh, and being a Chinese guy, he made ​a copycat bar of THE brick bar, a THE brick Bar II right next door. Which was awesome for me to see ​a time when people were getting double bricked!


The brick bar finally closed its door Feburary 2, 2023