The former Matrix Club in Naperville is being converted into a new events venue called Aura Club and Conventions, according to Ajay Sunkara, co-owner of Project Naperville 808, the landlord of the building.
The upcoming business will be owned by the property management company and will function similarly to The Matrix Club.
“After the facility was evicted, we had to take over the facility, and we felt it’s a very good opportunity and something that we always wanted to do. That’s how The Matrix Club started in the first case,” said Sunkara.
The Aura Club and Conventions sign inside the former Matrix Club building located at 808 S. Route 59
Landlords take over business under new name
Sunkara said they considered leasing the building to a new tenant after The Matrix Club’s eviction in February, but with about 50 events originally planned for The Matrix Club this year and others scheduled out to 2029, they felt compelled to take over immediately, given their general knowledge of operations, and to limit risk.
“We want to make sure that the events run smoothly, and if someone has gone through some financial loss there in that matter, we want to help them by giving a discount to continue their operation, or to continue their event at our facility,” he said.
The business model is expected to largely remain the same as The Matrix Club’s, with the company even retaining some of the old business’s staff, including security personnel, event organizers, and the production manager.
Some changes coming to former Matrix Club building
However, there will be a few changes made to the building, like additional lights on the main ballroom stage, more security cameras, and a revamp of the existing restaurant.
“The restaurant piece of the facility, we want to make sure it is much more promoted…We believe the restaurant hasn’t been taken to its full potential,” said Sunkara. “We are actually currently working with Michelin Star chefs right now to make sure it stands out to be a one of the top restaurants in the City of Naperville.”
The lounge and bar space in the restaurant at the former Matrix Club, located at 808 S. Route 59
While some of the changes are to enhance the space, others are out of necessity, Sunkara noted, due to alleged vandalism to some equipment and areas last month amid the eviction.
“We are actually renovating the kitchen for both the banquet facility and the restaurant. There was some vandalism that happened during the eviction process, so we actually are working with DuPage County to reinstall that equipment,” he said.
Naperville Police say they are currently investigating the vandalism and have not made any arrests yet.
Owner in the process of getting permits before officially opening
As part of getting Aura Club and Conventions up and running, Sunkara and his business partners are now in the process of acquiring the permits needed to officially open.
They appeared before the Naperville Liquor Commission on Monday, seeking Class B and Class K liquor licenses, the former for authorizing liquor sales at a restaurant and the latter for a liquor service during a catered event.
They received unanimous approval from commissioners, and their request now goes to the Naperville City Council for a final vote. They are also currently awaiting health permits for their kitchens, a building permit, and a fire license.
Over the last few weeks, the property management company obtained a temporary business license from the city to accommodate events scheduled with The Matrix Club, like Salaam Fest, which took place on Friday, March 6.
Sunkara said opening as a new business with the right permits will allow them to further host previously scheduled events and become established for future clients.
“We want to be responsible and make sure that those events are taken care of well, so that’s our primary goal. At the same time, we are very excited for the future and the restaurant and the future events that are going to happen here,” he said.
Matrix Club eviction appeal denied
The move to open to new business comes just over a month after The Matrix Club was evicted from the building due to alleged unpaid rent and construction-related expenses.
The owners said they were working to appeal against the eviction in court, but according to Sunkara, it was sustained.
NCTV17 reached out to the former ownership of The Matrix Club for comment, but had not heard back by the time of publication.
An opening date for Aura Club and Conventions has not yet been set.
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