Why go to the gym when you can climb a 40-foot wall

Photo from: Crain's Chicago Business

By: Robert Loerzel | Sept 9, 2014 | Crain's Chicago Business

The climbing trend is taking off in Chicago. When it opens in the West Loop in November,Brooklyn Boulders (pictured) will feature 23,000 square feet of rock-climbing space. But its owners say it will have much more than rocks. They're calling it a “a community center,” saying it will host yoga classes, fitness workouts, a “pop-up art and dinner venue” and an “unconventional shared work environment that allows users to be physical while working.” At 100 S. Morgan St., this is the third location for Brooklyn Boulders; the first launched in Brooklyn, New York, in 2009, and a second facility opened last year in Boston. A soft opening is planned for November, but starting Sept. 17, the facility will invite people to sign up for a “First Ascent” membership that costs $555 for a year. Read More...