Babe’s, A Women’s Sports Bar, Launches Fundraiser To Help It Open In Logan Square
Owner Raising $75,000 to Transform Former Music Lounge Space
Nora McConnell-Johnson, a lifelong athlete and sports fan, is planning to open Babe’s, a women’s sports bar and event space, at 3017 W. Armitage Ave. in Logan Square next year. After getting overall positive feedback from neighbors and the alderperson on the idea, she aims to raise $75,000 to transform the former Music Lounge space, which has sat vacant since 2017 or early 2018.
Fundraiser Launched to Support Renovation Efforts
The fundraiser, which launched last week, has received almost $30,000 as of Wednesday afternoon. There are several fundraising perks meant to entice donors to give on a tiered scale, including free drinks, your name on a barstool, a free party and more. The fundraiser will be open through the month.
Renovation Plans Include Cosmetic and Infrastructure Upgrades
Seventy-five thousand dollars is what we need to spend, at least, on a good renovation. It’s aesthetic, cosmetic and infrastructure, said McConnell-Johnson. The space was a longtime dive bar and has black walls, curtains, a low ceiling and other things that need to be revamped and brightened. McConnell-Johnson plans to lower and shorten the bar top and make it a U-shaped design to offer a more communal space.
Design Team Using Reclaimed Wood and Old Gym Floors
McConnell-Johnson’s design team plans to use reclaimed wood and old gym floors for the bar top and add sports mementos like mini keychains, sports erasers, old photos, pins and more into the bar with epoxy resin — so “you can see women are memorialized in the bar,” the owner said. The ceiling will be redone and the walls will get a makeover, as well as the patio and bathrooms, and there will be other cosmetic designs.
Partnership with Clean Air Club to Improve Air Quality
The fundraiser will also support Babe’s partnership with Clean Air Club, an organization working toward more accessible and cleaner air for artists and venues by donating air purifiers and filter replacements. McConnell-Johnson will add a HEPA air filtration to the space to protect the health and safety of everyone who walks through the doors, she said.
Conclusion
The renovation work is an important step to make the space inclusive, more conducive to watching games and more physically comfortable for women, McConnell-Johnson said. The full renovation could cost closer to $110,000-$115,000, but McConnell-Johnson hopes the community will back her to make her initial goal and help make the bar their space, too.
FAQs
Q: What is the goal of the fundraiser?
A: The goal of the fundraiser is to raise $75,000 to transform the former Music Lounge space into Babe’s, a women’s sports bar and event space.
Q: What are the perks of donating to the fundraiser?
A: There are several fundraising perks meant to entice donors to give on a tiered scale, including free drinks, your name on a barstool, a free party and more.
Q: When will the fundraiser close?
A: The fundraiser will be open through the month.
Q: When is the expected opening date of Babe’s?
A: If the fundraiser is successful and if city licenses are given, bar renovations are likely to begin after November. Construction is set to last a few months with the goal of opening up Babe’s by February and be fully functional by March Madness.
