Introduction to Babe’s Sports Bar
LOGAN SQUARE — After a crowdfunding campaign, a full interior overhaul, and rummaging through a ton of sports memorabilia, a highly-anticipated women’s sports bar is now open in Logan Square. Babe’s Sports Bar at 3017 W. Armitage Ave. had a soft opening Saturday after nearly a year of renovations, creating a space for fans of women’s professional sports, said bar owner Nora McConnell-Johnson.
The Concept and Mission
“This is a market that’s underserved, and I feel like that’s been fully shown, which is great, and proves the point that when you give access and opportunity for women’s sports or women-specific things, the demand is there,” McConnell-Johnson said. “It’s about the importance of equity in our spaces and our city life.” A lifelong athlete and sports fan, McConnell-Johnson, of Humboldt Park, has been on a mission to open up Babe’s since last year, jumping through zoning and building issues and gaining community feedback and money through a crowdfunding campaign that helped outfit the space.
Design and Features
McConnell-Johnson raised $75,000 for the bar, which is decked out in green and pink and features colorful lights, red trim, and disco balls in the bathrooms, which have their own Instagram account for patron selfies. Babe’s owners gutted the previous space to make room for a new bar counter, an improved patio, fresh wallpaper, a photo booth, and, soon, bleachers. When installed, the bleachers will fit 12 people and sit next to a vintage scoreboard from an old recreation center in Illinois.
Name plates sit along the bar at every stool at Babe’s Sports Bar, 3017 W. Armitage Ave., for anyone who donated $1,000 or more to the bar’s crowdfunding campaign to get the business off the ground in 2024.
Women’s Sports Fans Deserve The World
‘Women’s sports fans deserve the world,’ and this bar is an attempt to give them something great. People who donated $1,000 to get Babe’s off the ground received a personal brass nameplate along the bar as a public thank-you. Those who donated $500 received Babe’s merch and access to a VIP-only opening party this past weekend before the official grand opening this Saturday. Throughout the space, pictures and sports memorabilia of women in action are on display, including tables that feature old sports photos, pins, and varsity jacket letters. Donated trophies line the walls, including one from McConnell-Johnson when she coached rugby.
Donated sports trophies sit along a shelf at Babe’s Sports Bar, 3017 W. Armitage Ave. in Logan Square, on Sept. 23, 2025.
Events and Screenings
With eight televisions, Babe’s is able to show four women’s sports games at the same time, curated to what viewers want to see. Events, sports-related movie screenings, and watch parties are also being planned. But don’t go to Babe’s expecting to watch men’s sports, McConnell-Johnson said. For those wanting to get more into professional women’s sports, the bar team plans to host info sessions prior to each game called Between Periods. McConnell-Johnson and her friend, Shana Sumers, will offer attendees a crash course on the players and rules of the game they’re about to watch.
Grand Opening and Special Events
The bar’s opening — intended to happen in time for March Madness — took longer than expected, but the timing still works out with WNBA playoffs starting this week. Babe’s will show the playoffs this week during its soft launch. Saturday’s grand opening will feature appearances by local athletes who supported the bar,
