Arcade Bar Opening in Lake View but Facing Approval Dispute

Lake View’s newest bar Headquarters Beercade is catering to a new crowd by combining an old-school arcade with cocktails and craft beers, but one neighborhood association says they have yet to approve the concept of the business.

Located on 955 W. Wolfram St. near Sheffield, the arcade and bar is slated to open Thursday night, featuring 37 arcade games and 16 beers on tap, all packaged in a trendy 22,000-square-foot atmosphere. Between the 100-year-old refurbished factory floors being used as tables and video games that will remind anyone of their childhood, the bar is likely slated to become a unique hangout.

However, neighbors are concerned. After a video arcade on Belmont Avenue proved to be problematic with police years ago, worried residents contacted the Central Lake View Neighbors Association asking about the new arcade setting up shop near their homes.

“We didn’t know what they were talking about, so we went to go check with the alderman,” said Marie Poppy, an acting member of the Central Lake View Neighbors. “I said, ‘Well, if they’re doing gaming, they’ll need a zoning change.’ But the alderman’s office knew nothing of it either. (The alderman’s team) went to talk with their lawyer, and they said they’re just putting in board games. What they have is far from board games. That’s a whole arcade.”

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Poppy says her group wants to dive into what the rules at Headquarters will be and how it will affect the community, considering Wolfram Street isn’t exactly an entertainment district like Belmont. She says this type of scrutiny is given to every business entering the neighborhood, not just arcades.

Brian Galati, the co-owner of Headquarters, says everyone is still talking prematurely, and his lawyers are communicating with the zoning committee and the Ald. Tom Tunney (44^th) to figure out a conclusion. In the meantime, he’ll make an appearance at the Central Lake View Neighbors meeting Thursday night while his grand opening goes along as scheduled.

According to Galati, Headquarters will move along as scheduled while the zoning details are smoothed out, including “plenty of surprises” after the opening. Between swapping out games and beers depending on what customers suggest online to menus made from actual vintage gaming manuals, the bar plans to set itself apart in multiple ways.

And did we mention the beef jerky? Their own brand called “Machine Engineered” will be produced in house to snack on while playing games like Pole Position and Mortal Kombat.

To see a full list of the arcade games, beers and cocktails available on opening day, check out Headquarters’ website. And if you plan on going this weekend, RSVP here for their grand opening. 

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