February 13, 2025
Interactive Gaming Experience Activate Chooses Fox River Commons In Naperville For Next Chicago-Area Site
BALTIMORE, MD (February 13, 2025) – Activate, an interactive gaming facility featuring a unique blend of physical activity and gaming experience, has selected Fox River Commons in Naperville for the site of its second location in the greater Chicago area. In partnership with Sounds Fun Entertainment, Activate currently operates more than 40 sites in the United States and Canada and signed a lease with Continental Realty Corporation (CRC) for nearly 12,000 square feet of space. The group intends to open within the neighborhood shopping center located at 704 Illinois Route 59 this spring. Activate opened its first Chicago area site in 2023 and plans to open its third Illinois facility in the River North area next year. Approximately 12-20 employees are expected to work at the Naperville location. Kristin Perry, Leasing Manager for Continental Realty Corporation and Brooke Spinell of Mid-America Real Estate represented the landlord and Courtney Waldon of Braden Real Estate represented the tenant in this transaction.
Activate consists of 14 separate game rooms in which participants are tasked to conquer an experience that typically lasts approximately 75 minutes. The high-energy and immersive challenges incorporate cutting-edge technology that are designed to push people to their mental and physical limits. The game rooms include “Strike” which is a digital form of dodgeball; “Control,” where players are tasked to push or step on buttons to win the challenge; an obstacle course of lasers called “Lasers” and “Hide,” which involves a futuristic version of hide and seek.
The concept joins pickleball facility The Picklr, which leases more than 27,000 square feet of space within Fox River Commons and Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore retail outlet which leases more than 24,000 square feet of space at the 241,000 square foot shopping center. Fox River Commons, anchored by International Fresh Market, Amish Furniture Gallery, and Ball Factory and acquired by CRC in 2022, is now approximately 81 percent leased. The center also includes restaurants ENTOURAGE and VAI’s Italian Inspired Kitchen + Bar.
“We were attracted to Fox River Commons based on the presence of an extremely strong supermarket anchor, and a like-minded co-tenant in The Picklr which draws consumers craving high-energy and physical fitness-oriented activity,” explained Activate Marketing Director Will Gray. “The center features strong roadside visibility and consumer demographics and its position in Naperville, combined with our other two locations, provides the coverage we were seeking in the greater Chicago metropolitan area. We are certain that residents stretching across a wide range of demographics will immediately embrace our roster of immersive gams for all levels and become loyal consumers.”
Situated at the intersection of Route 59 and W. Ogden Avenue, more than 271,000 consumers reside within a five-mile radius of Fox River Commons, with an average household income approaching $130,000. Ingress and egress are facilitated by five access points, three of which are serviced by traffic signals. Nearly 60,000 vehicles pass the site daily via Route 59, with an additional 36,000 passing via W. Ogden Avenue.
“Equal parts fitness center and interactive video game, Activate provides a one-of-a-kind immersive customer experience and its presence within Fox River Commons adds another destination-style tenant to our diverse mix,” stated Kristina O’Keefe, Vice President of CRC’s Commercial Division. “Since acquiring the center several years ago, we have been extremely successful in retenanting Fox River Commons with compelling new retailers and restaurants, in our mission to satisfy the diverse shopping needs in the greater Naperville-area community.”
Headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland and founded in 1960, Continental Realty Corporation is a full-service commercial real estate and investment company focused on acquiring and operating retail and multifamily properties. The privately held firm owns and manages a diversified portfolio of retail centers consisting of approximately eight million square feet of commercial space and more than 10,000 apartment homes across 13 states, with a portfolio value exceeding $4 billion. For additional information, visit www.crcrealty.com.
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