BRIDGEPORT — Angel Romero might have the best internship in the neighborhood.
The 20-year-old aspiring game designer from Back of the Yards landed a summer gig with Hardscrabble Gifts, 3335 S. Halsted St., where he helps design T-shirts and Chicago-centric swag.
Little did he know he'd be making products inspired by one of his favorite games, Pokémon Go.
"It's pretty exciting, especially as a fan," said Romero, a student at Harold Washington College who grew up playing Pokémon video games.
In getting to know her new employee, Hardscrabble boss Leanne Scanlon learned Romero is huge fan of one of Nintendo's most popular franchises.
"He started talking about it," Scanlon said, "and I had no idea what he was talking about."
Those unfamiliar with Pokémon characters other than Pikachu are often at a loss when a true fan starts talking about their favorites.
"Pokédex Number 208," Romero said. "Steelix."
Then Nintendo released Pokémon Go, the new smartphone game that sends collectors into the real world to catch these virtual critters. The game sparked a worldwide craze that even led hundreds of costumed, sign-toting Pokémon Go trainers to a meetup at Millennium Park's Bean.
Romero was there. He shared his dispatches with Scanlon. She saw an opportunity to tap into the game's burgeoning popularity.
"When the game started getting a real buzz, I thought, 'Oh wow, maybe this is something we could work on some designs,'" Scanlon said. "I had no idea it was going to be so big."
Hardscrabble now carries T-shirts sporting phrases like "SORRY I'M LATE, I HAD TO CATCH 'EM ALL," coffee cups, koozies and bags.
An intern through the One Summer Chicago program, Romero lives near the 5300 block of South Damen Avenue. He usually rides the Orange Line to the Halsted stop and takes the 30-minute walk to Hardscrabble.
Along the way, he has found some of Bridgeport's designated Pokémon gyms and pokestops. There's a pokestop at Maria's Packaged Goods, Mitchell's Tap and the Richard J. Daley Library.
In the lot next to the library there's a fountain that doubles as a Pokémon gym.
Romero doesn't mind breaking a sweat to find these whimsical landmarks.
"The game does encourage exercise," Romero said. "There was something I saw online: It took Michelle Obama eight years to encourage people to go out and exercise. Nintendo and Pokémon did it in 24 hours."
Scanlon is glad to have a Pokémon trainer like Romero working for her.
"I feel old as dirt," she said. "Thank goodness we have these college kids in here this summer or else I'd be just lost."
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