A new way to get weird just launched in Chicago.
Hypelocal, a travel guide app that recommends the weirdest, most-exciting "meals, parties, cocktails, historical sites, and inter-dimensional portals" nearest you, was opened to the public yesterday.
"We want people to discover all of the interesting things that's happening right around them," said Co-Founder Aaron Orsini.
Hypelocal, unlike other 'What to Do Now' services and software, is for the more spontaneous, daring consumer. You're not going to find The Navy Pier fireworks on here; this is for alligator dishes and see-through bathroom mirrors.
After downloading the free app, users can immediately search for the weird and wild that's right around them or they can browse through upcoming events and promotions. The majority of the content is curated by Orsini and Co-Founder Raf Miastkowski. Community members can also submit recommendations via The Bathroom Wall, a forum where you can scribble down your favorite urban adventures. ("For a good time...," check out this experimental improv stage in Lakeview). The goal is to have users spend less time searching for things to do and more time exploring. Tell the app where you are and try something new.
"We consume so much content," said Orsini, "we want to make sure that people are consuming experiences."
The two founders met while sharing a cubicle at Groupon and the authoritative nature of the recommendations and the witty write-ups reveal their acquired domain knowledge on how to get people to pay attention to personal suggestions.
Miastkowski is also the brain behind Alley Connoisseur, a blog that explores the city's most interesting alleys and bills itself as the "gentleman's guide to trashy through-fares." And its this kind of appreciation of the ignored and unexplored, says Orsini, that has transferred over to the app.
"There's so much value in discovering new things. When you discover something new, there's potential to discover something new about yourself."
Though the app is obviously built to scale, the pair is focused primarily on Chicago for now, looking to grow users and engagement locally before heading into new cities.
"We've talked about what's next, but we really want to do a slam dunk here first," said Miastkowski.
The app is available for iPhones and Android.
I'd like to tell you more, but thanks to Hypelocal, I know that I can go get a 3-D print of my face just down the street.
