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LOGAN SQUARE — Gamers will soon have a new place to call home in the neighborhood.
Midlane esports, the neighborhood’s first esports gaming center and lounge, is aiming to open Feb. 21 at 2741 N. Milwaukee Ave., if everything goes according to plan.
After months of renovations, owner Adam Abbas is putting the finishing touches on the corner storefront and preparing for the final city inspection.
Abbas, a 20-something financial consultant, said he wants Midlane to be a “hub” for esports in Chicago.
“I want it to have that community feel, for people who are just diving into esports and for people who are participating in tournaments,” he said.
When it opens, the gaming center and lounge will offer about 40 computer setups and a projector so gamers can play in a group and project the games on a big screen for everyone to watch.
Abbas also installed a bar in back for those who just want to hang out and watch the action. The bar will serve craft beer, as well as packaged sandwiches and the like.
Abbas set out to open Midlane after realizing that Chicago didn’t have many esports gaming centers. The Gold Coast resident was drawn to Logan Square for its vibrant nightlife and restaurant scene.
“When it comes to having a place to watch with my group of my friends, there’s no place to go except at home, streaming from the laptop to the TV,” Abbas previously said.
Esports is a fast-growing industry centered around video games, usually played on a specialized computer. The Chicago area is home to at least two such gaming centers: one at DePaul University and another in suburban Skokie called Ignite Gaming Lounge.
Another center is planned for a historic building in Uptown. Atari also recently proposed opening a gamer-friendly hotel in Chicago.
At Midlane, gamers will be able to walk in and pay either an hourly (starting at $8) or day rate ($45).
The gaming center and lounge is named after one of the characters in League of Legends, a game regularly played in esports circles. It’s also a play on the Midwest, Abbas said.
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