The District’s first standalone climbing gym is finally opening soon: Brooklyn Boulders will launch its inaugural DC location in the new Eckington Yards development later this summer.
The climbing group—which was started in, yes, Brooklyn, but now has locations in Queens, Chicago, and Somerville, Massachusetts—first announced it was expanding to the DC area in 2019. It plans to have a soft-opening in August, with an official launch in September. This will be welcome news for DC climbers, who as of now have to trek outside the city to go to a gym dedicated to the sport (there are, however, standalone walls at the YMCA Anthony Bowen and Sport & Health).
The 31,000 square-foot space will exclusively have walls for bouldering (that means no high ropes or belaying), as well as a fitness area with studios for bootcamps and yoga classes. There will also be locker rooms with saunas, a co-working area for folks to hang out, and a recovery lounge. The group also plans to host classes, community events, and kids’ camps.
Brooklyn Boulders isn’t the only spot coming to the new Eckington Yards complex, which will also include apartments. The mixed-use space will additionally house one of the new locations of local flower shop She Loves Me and a Union Kitchen.
The group is currently offering pre-sale founding memberships, which are $79 a month or $790 for a year.
Brooklyn Boulders; 1611 Eckington Pl. NE, #150
Mimi Montgomery joined Washingtonian in 2018. She’s written for The Washington Post, Garden & Gun, Outside Magazine, Washington City Paper, DCist, and PoPVille. Originally from North Carolina, she now lives in Del Ray.
