“Surge Billiards is opening its third pool hall in the city to give neighbors something fun to do in addition to having a meal in an area that’s already home to a booming restaurant scene, its owners say.
”The pool hall will occupy a space previously home to a Catholic Charities grocery store at 1734 W. Chicago Ave. in West Town’s East Village neighborhood.
”’We really want to be a spot that people can go to before and after dinner, and … give them other things that they can do in the area, rather than eat and then have to leave,’ said Wahib Merchant, who co-owns Surge with wife Kareeshma Ali.
”The duo already operates pool halls in Logan Square, 3716 W. Fullerton Ave., and Albany Park, 3241 W. Montrose Ave.
”Unlike its other locations, however, the West Town Surge will also feature seven golf simulators alongside more than two dozen pool tables.
”Surge has undertaken an extensive renovation of the Chicago Avenue building’s interior, but left its unique facade in place. A mural painted by local artist Mauricio Ramirez adorns the building’s eastern exterior wall along Hermitage Avenue.
”Merchant said he hopes the new Surge will be embraced by neighbors for all manner of events and get-togethers, from leagues to casual hangs to community events.
”’I think of [billiards] as not only a game but also a social hub,’ Merchant said. The pool hall is ‘a space where people can use it however they need to use it, whether it’s a fundraiser, whether it’s a charity event, whether it’s a corporate party. It opens itself up to multiple things.’” (Myers, Block Club Chicago, 8/25/26)
Preservation Chicago congratulates Wahib Merchant and Kareeshma Ali on the opening of Surge Billiards at 1734 W. Chicago Avenue. It’s a great project that combines an extensive interior renovation with the ornate historic facade left fully intact, which will reactivate a vacant storefront to active neighborhood use.
We have worked with Wahib Merchant extensively. In 2022 he was planning an adaptive reuse billiards hall in the highly ornamented Smashy’s Garage building at 5006 N. Clark Street in Andersonville. The project stopped after a devastating fire which destroyed the building just before the closing and adaptive reuse. We helped to save some of the terra cotta during the emergency demolition, and which has recently be returned to Mr. Merchant as his rebuilding effort is finally beginning to move forward after an extensive legal process with the prior owner. We look forward to the day when Smashy’s Garage billiards hall will reopen. In the meantime, Chicago Avenue is an excellent example of the vibrancy adaptive reuse brings to a community when an operator embraces the historic building an asset, not an obstacle.
Read the full story at Block Club Chicago
- Surge Billiards Brings Pool Hall, Golf Simulators To West Town; The billiards hall, with 14 pool tables and seven golf simulators, will offer cocktails and other drinks but does not have a kitchen. Its owners want to complement an already thriving food scene in the neighborhood, Quinn Myers, Block Club Chicago, 8/25/26
- Surge Billiards In West Town Aiming For Late Summer Opening; The local billiards chain aims to open its third location in August or September, owner Wahib Merchant told neighbors at a community meeting Wednesday, Quinn Myers, Block Club Chicago, 4/10/25
- Andersonville Businesses, Community, Start Recovering From Devastating Fire That Canceled Neighborhood Festival; Smashy and Star Auto were demolished in the days after the fire. Now, officials and locals are trying to figure out how to rebuild, Francesca Mathewes, Block Club Chicago, 4/29/22
- After Tragic Fire, Facade Elements at 5006 N Clark Potentially Saved for Reuse, Uptown Update, 4/26/22
- WIN: Surge Billiards Will Open in Ornate Former Grocery Store on Chicago Avenue; Preservation Chicago, 4/2025