Philadelphia-based Nerd Street Gamers and specialty discount store chain Five Below have opened dedicated esports facilities in three new locations.
Two of the three facilities located in Georgetown, Texas, and Philadelphia are connected to Five Below stores as part of a pre-existing deal.
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Joel Anderson, CEO of Five Below, spoke on the store openings: “Our customers are always looking for exciting, new experiences like Localhosts and we saw the huge potential that Nerd Street Gamers adds to elevate the Five Below experience. Both of our companies are looking to drive innovation, and we align on so many values – a major one being affordability and accessibility to all consumers. We’re excited to partner together to bring esports to everyone regardless of income and to power the next generation of athletes.”
The creation of the three facilities follows on from Nerd Street Gamers’ $12M funding round in October 2019. The parties agreed to build three pilot facilities in 2020, and depending on their success, future expansion plans could include up to 70 new locations being built in the next few years.
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John Fazio, CEO and Founder of Nerd Street Gamers, also spoke on the facilities: “Nerd Street Gamers’ mission is to increase access to the equipment and technology required to be successful in competitive gaming.
“Our partnership with Five Below is a key example of how we’re working to solve this problem, by bringing opportunities to amateur gamers at a national scale. We’re looking forward to seeing the success of these new Localhosts and the future of our relationship together.”
Esports Insider says: Regardless of their success, the opening of these three facilities could is likely the start of a nationwide expansion for Nerd Street Gamers and Five Below. Despite the current global situation, it’s a positive to see the company continue with its plans.