Camp opens ‘shop-and-play’ attraction in Old Town

Chicago is getting its first Camp store — not a place for outdoor supplies, but an experiential emporium that invites kids to play and their parents to spend.

Camp, which calls itself the family experience company, opens Wednesday in a 7,500-square-foot space at 651 W. North Ave. It combines elements of a toy store and party venue with a little mystery — a “magic door” opening to seasonal family attractions.

Behind that door starting Aug. 19 will be a mini and multi-colored theme park of activities from Doodles, a digital entertainment company behind the non-fungible token art collection Doodles favored by celebrities like Steve Aoki and Justin Bieber.

Patrons can play in fluffy “cosmic clouds,” enter a “flower forest” to do arts and crafts, play arcade games and create Doodles characters.

Camp’s Chicago operation will be its ninth U.S. location. The retail store is open to the public, but admission to Doodles will cost $28 a person.

Doodles is expected to be around until early 2024 before making way for something else, said Camp co-CEO Jenica Myszkowski.

She promised a thrilling pair of operations that emphasize “really wonderful imagination and the value of creativity.”

The store sells toys, clothing and accessories and has interactive features, including a slime creation station, a “splatter room” and a space for live events.

It’s a version of retail-as-entertainment that’s being tried elsewhere, including outlets on Chicago’s North Michigan Avenue such as the Museum of Ice Cream and the “Harry Potter: Magic at Play” experience.

Myszkowski said Camp opted to open on North Avenue, where Lincoln Park meets Old Town, because it “has such an amazing density of young families.” She said the store’s primary market is people living nearby who are likely to be repeat visitors.

It’s also one of Chicago’s wealthiest neighborhoods. Disposable income is a prerequisite here.

Myszkowski said that, counting the Doodles admission, families are likely to spend an average of about $150 per visit.

“We’re one of a kind in the type of immersion we create in a physical retail space,” Myszkowski said.

She said the location cost about $2 million to set up. Camp has closed a couple locations nationally but it’s hoping to expand, Myszkowski said.

Camp is on the ground floor of the apartment building North+Vine. Customers can get free parking on the lower level of the building’s garage.