Echo Park Wine Bar City Sip to Close Jan. 31

After four years, Echo Park's long-standing wine bar City Sip will close Jan. 31.

Owner Nicole Daddio announced the news Tuesday in an email to customers and friends.  

Although I am very excited to move forward, this was nonetheless a difficult and heart wrenching decision to make. I take great pride that we have managed to build our neighborhood into a unique and colorful Los Angeles destination. Echo Park is my home, as well as my place of business, and I smile each time that I welcome an inspired new business.

City Sip had shut down for a week in September for an impromptu and, we hear, somewhat improvised makeover.

It took the bar from its roots in winetasting and collecting to being more of a pub, a fun spot for value-priced beers, wines and tapas.

We liked it a lot and had been back a number of time since the grand opening.

Daddio told us then was to carve a unique niche for the place, which was facing competition from Mohawk Bend, ELF and other newer spots in the neighborhood.

City Sip will close officially on Jan. 31, though the space will be available through March for special events and pop-ups.

No word yet on what will replace it, though the location at trendy Mohawk Bend shouldn't be hard to fill.