Our Story
3:27 pm by Annie Osenbaugh
In 2009 we began in Brooklyn, a city filled with passion, creativity, and the drive to make things happen. We opened doors. You created a community.
Since then, the BKB community has inspired us to open new doors in New York, Boston, and Chicago. Each outward manifestation of our community has helped us grow inward to develop and provide innovative climbing technologies, industry-leading recovery amenities, virtual programming, WILD™ excursions, and the Brooklyn Boulders Foundation.
We bring Brooklyn everywhere we go. We hope to spread the #bkblove and a sense of community to other urban areas through climbing, fitness, art, and events. At Brooklyn Boulders (BKB) you’ll find unconventional experiences that not only push you physically, but engage your imagination and ignite your passion.
Our History
2009
Moved into the Daily News Garage and turned it into a climbing gym, making our Gowanus location the first dedicated climbing gym in NYC.
2010
Started the BKB Foundation (BKBF) and City Rocks, using climbing to build mentor relationships and empower students from under-resourced communities to develop self-confidence, resiliency, and the ability to succeed.
Our Competitive youth climbing team, BKBeasts, launches.
2011
Opened our home away from home, the Hueco Hacienda, next to some of the best bouldering in the country at Hueco Tanks State Park, Texas.
2012
Founder, Kareemah Batts hosts the first Adaptive Climbing Clinic at BKB Gowanus.
The BKB Gowanus team hosts Team Rubicon during Hurricane Sandy.
2013
BKB Somerville opens, establishing the Active Collaborative Workspace and hosts the HACKFit Hack-a-thon.
2014
Branched out of New England to open our first Chicago facility–BKB West Loop.
The Somerville team hosted TEDx Somerville and BKB Gowanus was voted Best Birthday Party spot by Time Out New York.
2015
Opened our second NYC facility, BKB Queensbridge and produced a short film based in Turkey, Climbing Bridges.
2016
Established BKB Wild to encourage our members + guests to experience outdoor climbing.
Honored with the American Institute of Architects People’s Choice Award and collaborated to launch Augmented Reality Climbing.
Expanded our Out to Climb pride celebration to all four facilities in June and raised thousands of dollars for LGBTQ non-profits including Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative (SIGBI), Boston Alliance of Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Youth (BAGLY), and Howard Brown Health.
2017
Hosted our first year of The North Face’s “Walls Are Meant For Climbing”.
The BKB Somerville team hosted Visual Somerville and BKB Gowanus hosted an On Belay fundraiser for Hurricane Maria relief in Puerto Rico.
2018
Hosted a GoPro x Red Bull adventure videography competition featuring Sasha DiGuilian at BKB Gowanus.
2019
The first annual IMPACT Competition, set by a crew of womxn setters and created by BKB routesetter Foxman James, was held at BKB Somerville.
Hosted the first United States qualifier for the Adidas Ticket to Rockstars competition at BKB Gowanus.
2020
Partnered with the American Alpine Club to put on the 27th Hueco Rock Rodeo.
Opened our second Chicago location, BKB Lincoln Park.
Established our Diversity Equity + Inclusion Dashboard and launched Sliding Scale Memberships to make climbing more accessible and inclusive.
2021
Opened The first climbing gym in DC, BKB Eckington.
Launched Arcade Climbing experience in NY, DC and Chicago that netted honors: Fast Company World Changing Idea Honoree and Shape Magazine Well Award Recipient.
2022
Brooklyn Boulders Gowanus, Somerville, and Eckington joined the Bouldering Project’s existing network of gyms in Minneapolis, Austin, and Seattle.
Our Commitment
Diversity, Inclusion + Belonging
We are committed to honoring the diversity of our community by creating actively anti-racist, inclusive and equitable environments for our team and everyone who considers themselves a part of the BKB community. Our community deserves positive, long-lasting change. We are ready to do the work and invite you to hold us accountable.