MARINA CITY — A trendy New York pingpong club frequented by Justin Bieber and owned by Susan Sarandon is preparing to serve Downtown.
SPiN will open a 16,000-square-foot club at a long-vacant retail space in Marina City, 300 N. State St., in the "late summer or early fall," company chief marketing officer Shawn Topp confirmed Tuesday.
Hatched by Sarandon in 2009 after several "pingpong parties" in the lofts of TriBeCa, SPiN has since surged in popularity on the back of celebrity cachet and the quirky sport's broad appeal. SPiN has expanded to Los Angeles, Dubai and Toronto; while the New York club counts pop star Justin Bieber as a regular.
"Pingpong is a great catalyst for connecting people in the real world," Topp said. "There’s no prejudice in any fashion, race, gender, skill level. Everyone is welcome, and it’s the type of game that’s super accessible."
WATCH: 'What Is SPiN?'
What is SPiN from SPiN Studios on Vimeo.
SPiN is a franchise, but the Marina City club will be corporate-owned, Topp said. The company was attracted to Marina City because of its "iconic" design and River North locale, while Chicago was an "obvious spot" to expand, given the city's size and citizens' zeal for sports, he said.
"The culture of the city loving sports, the nightlife culture there, the business culture, fits with what we do," Topp said.
Dave Matthews says the club will require reservations:
Once open, the club will feature 15 to 20 pingpong tables guests pay to reserve. Topp said pricing for Chicago has not been finalized, but the rate for 30 minutes is $50 in New York. The menu includes items meant for sharing, including pizza and sliders, while the layout will offer decor du jour and copious space for schmoozing.
Topp said other SPiN clubs quickly became a hot spot for athletes and groups upon opening, and he hopes to replicate that success in Chicago. The company has partnered with Toronto charity Project Remix, which works with underprivileged youth and has a Pilsen outpost, and plans to host events running up to the Marina City club's opening.
The club will enter a former gym in the Bertrand Goldberg-designed towers that has been vacant since 2008, said Loop North News, which first reported the story.
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