Electric Shuffle, a cutting-edge social entertainment venue known for reinventing the classic game of shuffleboard, has officially landed in Chicago.
Located at 488 N La Salle Drive, the new hotspot is already making waves in the River North neighborhood, so much so that What Now Chicago recently hosted its Accelerate event at the vibrant new venue. With a unique blend of immersive technology, craft cocktails, elevated bites, and a high-energy atmosphere, Electric Shuffle is far more than just a bar—it’s an experience. The brand, which first launched in the UK, is all about bringing people together through group-friendly games and curated social spaces.
Leading the Chicago location is Gene Ball, President of Electric Shuffle, whose hospitality roots run deep. “I come from a very Italian New York family that owned a luncheonette in Brooklyn in the 70s and 80s,” Ball tells What Now Media Group in an exclusive interview. “We were raised on good food, drinks, and hospitality as being a key part of life. I always knew it was going to be something I wanted to do down the road.”
The idea behind Electric Shuffle was born from an unexpected road trip with an even more unexpected stop. “Our crazy, brilliant (and one of my good friends) British founder, Steve Moore, was driving around the world in a fire truck raising money for cancer (yes, really). He stopped in a small dive bar in a small town outside of Austin and saw people going crazy over an old shuffleboard table,” according to Ball. “With that, we have built this fundamental belief on how to bring bars and these games into the 21st century to bring large groups of friends together.”
Since opening in River North, the venue has already found its footing among locals. “Great. I honestly could not have asked for a better start,” Ball shares. “We put a lot of effort into finding the perfect location in Chicago and, more specifically, River North. We felt there was a great opportunity here to give the neighborhood a great spot for after-work drinks, a place to watch the game, or enjoy a boozy weekend brunch.”
Launching a concept like Electric Shuffle doesn’t come without challenges. “Anyone from the industry will tell you that restaurants and bars are hard work,” says Ball. “I have stories about hurdles every step of the way—from real estate to construction to staffing to execution and marketing—in a world where margins are getting tighter, talent is harder to find, competition is increasing, and social media is more rapidly changing consumer preferences.”
Still, the payoff is what makes it all worthwhile. “It’s that moment when you walk into one of our locations and everything is hitting just right. Guests are cheering and having fun, the team is dancing, music is just right, and the culmination of all those difficult moments, tough choices, and long nights make it worth it for seeing the joy you can create for so many people at once.”
Although shuffleboard is the centerpiece, the company wants guests to know there’s much more behind the experience. “I think people always label us from the outside as a ‘shuffleboard place,’ but we spend a lot of time trying to be much more than that,” Ball explains. “Our mission is to create amazing bars and spaces for people to come hang out and enjoy with their friends.”
With its Chicago debut, Electric Shuffle is delivering on that promise, offering River North a one-of-a-kind blend of entertainment, hospitality, and good vibes that’s hard to beat.
