Chris Smoot will be hosting a Monopoly game night at his home tonight, with close family and friends.

But, it’s not just any game night.

This is the first game night with an officially licensed Monopoly board that features his business, Memory Lane, a sneaker boutique on First Avenue North in downtown Birmingham that he co-owns with Tanarius Hayes.

“I’ll play it for the first time with my friends and family,” Smoot said.

The Monopoly Birmingham Edition board, released this week, is mostly made up of historic and iconic places in Birmingham, and Memory Lane is not really that. It has only been open since September 2021.

“We had to pay for it, yeah,” Smoot said. “Yeah, it was pretty expensive.”

Memory Lane committed to pay $20,000 to be included with a Tennessee Avenue-located square on the board game, two spaces before the Free Parking corner.

“I just thought it would be something cool for our business,” Smoot said. “I grew up playing and it’s nostalgic.”

Not everybody had to pay. Many of the squares are dedicated to historic landmarks, such as Sloss Furnaces, which is not a functioning business, although it once was, or historic parks, such as Kelly Ingram Park.

Alabama Peanut Company on Morris Avenue got on the board as a historic landmark business.

That surprised owner Jaime Thursby, who was happy to be included without paying.

“It’s really a cool thing,” Thursby said. “We’re super surprised.”

Most of the businesses on the board are located in the Birmingham city limits, but not all.

Golden Rule Barbecue is a historic restaurant, but it’s in Irondale, not Birmingham. It made it onto the Monopoly board, however.

Seibels Camp & Cottage, a furniture store in Homewood, is on the board.

At Home Furnishings, which has a spot on the board next to Memory Lane, is a chain furniture store with locations in Trussville, Homewood and Hoover.

Other businesses featured on the playing board include Pepper Place Market and Legacy Credit Union.

Rotary Trail and Railroad Park are among the first sites you can land on as you pass Go.

Sites include Boutwell Auditorium and the “heaviest corner on earth” at the John Hand Building. Then you’ve got Kelly Ingram Park, the Sidewalk Film Center, Southern Museum of Flight and Birmingham Museum of Art.

The BJCC, Protective Stadium and Legacy Arena each have a space.

The Birmingham Botanical Gardens, the Birmingham Zoo and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute are on the board, along with Sloss Furnaces and Vulcan Park and Museum.

Who got left off?

McWane Science Center in downtown Birmingham is not on the board.

Not everybody could be on there. There’s a limited number of spaces.

But George Sarris, owner of Fish Market, said he would have paid as part of his advertising budget to be on the board. He’s surprised historic and legendary Birmingham restaurants such as Niki’s West and Fish Market are not on it.

“That’s crazy,” he said.

There was a suggestion period last year when anyone could make nominations. Now that it’s out, some people have suggestions that are too late.

Birmingham-raised comedian Roy Wood Jr. of the Daily Show weighed in on social media when the game was unveiled, joking that a strip club and food truck should have been included.

“Platinum of Birmingham deserved a square,” Wood said. “Travis Food Truck and Ensley Seafood also snubbed.”

For those who paid to make it on, will it be worth it?

“I’m not sure,” Smoot said. “I hope so.”

Meanwhile, his family game night just got a lot more fun. “It should be special,” Smoot said.

“I’m not sure if it’s worth it business-wise, but it’s worth it publicity-wise,” he said. “Time will tell.”