After spending months without a tenant, the Chestnut Street building that previously housed West Elm until early this year will become home to a new Formula One (F1) racing simulator arcade, writes Jake Blumgart for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Formula One is a brand of international single-seat auto racing that has become a sensation in recent years due to the popularity of Netflix docuseries, Drive to Survive.

F1 Arcade allows players to immerse themselves in an engaging gaming experience, featuring a huge curved screen where the car’s cockpit can be viewed and another that shows the player’s position on the track.

The Philadelphia F1 Arcade location is slated to open in 2025 as one of 30 locations expected to open globally over the next five years.

F1 Arcade opened its first storefront in London in 2022, before unveiling its first American outlet in Boston earlier this year.

Two more operations in the United States are also expected to open soon: Las Vegas and Washington, D.C.

“We’re excited to announce our fourth U.S. location right in the heart of Philly,” said Jon Gardner, US President of F1 Arcade, in a press release. “Philadelphia, with its rich culture and history, felt like the perfect next step for our U.S. expansion.”

Read more about F1 Arcade’s arrival to the city next year in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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