For once, the latest opening in the West Loop doesn't involve a celebrity chef or fancy cocktails. Vans, the brand best known for its shoes and skateboarding apparel, is opening a music venue, indoor skatepark and event space called the House of Vans Chicago. Located at 113 N Elizabeth Street, the venue is the third permanent House of Vans location—the original opened in Brooklyn in 2010, while a second location debuted in London in 2014.
Situated in a former warehouse, House of Vans Chicago will host "the only existing indoor skatepark in the Chicago metropolitan area," featuring re-creations of famous West Coast skating locales and an ivy-covered wall as a nod to Wrigley Field. The venue also features a bar that was taken from the now defunct Goose Island brewpub in Wrigleyville.
House of Vans officially opens on February 3 and the venue is celebrating with a full slate of free events throughout the weekend. The festivities will begin with a free concert on February 3 featuring Baltimore synth-rocker Future Islands, reunited ’90s hip-hop icons Digable Planets and local rapper Noname. On February 4, the venue will host a skate photography workshop with Atiba Jefferson, a mixed-media workshop with artist Chad Kouri and a community open house.
If you want to check out Chicago's newest skatepark or catch a free show, you can RSVP for all events on the House of Vans website.
Moving forward, House of Vans Chicago will host concerts, events and skate nights, with programming likely concentrated during the summer months (the Brooklyn location holds an annual summer concert series). Plus, the venue's proximity to Union Park makes it a prime location for Pitchfork Music Festival and North Coast Music Festival aftershows and parties.
If you can't wait until next week, take a look at some photos from inside House of Vans Chicago:
Photograph: Miloš Otić
Photograph: Miloš Otić
Photograph: Miloš Otić
Photograph: Miloš Otić
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