What is Persona Chicago?

As a venue, who or what is Persona Chicago?

From a social entertainment perspective, Persona is anything you need it to be. As a multi-functional event space, Persona is a bar & lounge, a night-club, and a venue for private corporate events. We service the many ‘personas’ running around Chicago, such as professionals needing relief from their busy work week to the group of friends looking for a good Saturday night turn-up. We provide them an upscale ambiance, good music, and a guaranteed dope experience. Most importantly, Persona is where like-minded people gather to celebrate life.

Charles, what specifically brought you to this industry and what role do you play with Persona Chicago specifically?

I am part-owner and founder of Persona. I work closely with my co-founders Bobby Burke and Ronald Platt in overseeing the daily management and operations of our business. We’re all coming to this industry from different walks of life, but our shared passion and experience in throwing parties and exclusive events is what prompted this partnership.

I started off in corporate America working as an executive in the hotel sales industry. So, from that, I bring a sales and marketing expertise. My focus is to coordinate and cultivate Persona’s corporate partnerships. Ron is the night-life liaison. He oversees our relationship with promoters, high-dollar bottle sales, and high-profile bookings. Bobby works as the lifestyle and brand ambassador. He’s a ‘social politician’ of sorts, making sure we have the connections we need to get things done in this city.

What has been the obstacle in getting to your current phase of business as a venue?

Being in Chicago, we’ve observed that the city does not really thrive off of the daily after work ‘happy hour’ culture the way you see in cities like New York, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C. Overall, Chicagoan’s have such a work, grind lifestyle and mentality that it’s hard to get them out for a drink Monday through Thursday between 3:00pm-7:00pm, especially in the colder months. We are currently in the phase of expanding our happy hour specials and spreading the word about our offerings, so that we can cultivate an unmatched happy hour experience for our guests that makes them want to come out, socialize and enjoy.

What do you want people to get when they experience the atmosphere of Persona Chicago and the way that you conduct business?

We conduct our business honestly and humbly with customer service as the constant priority. We want the Persona experience to be unique and engaging and a place where our guests create their best memories.

We’ve all experienced the exhilaration that comes from hitting the club. We want our customers to get a fix of this every time they come to Persona, and we make sure this is possible by operating our business with standards around the music selection, dress code and attire, drink menu, etc.

In addition to this, we lift as we climb. We remember what it was like to be an up and coming promoter and that access is a big challenge, so we are constantly collaborating with those who can bring out certain crowds, but are still early in the industry.

Tell us about the current and future goals for Persona Chicago?

Right now, we are growing and building the urban happy hour culture in Chicago. We are breaking into this space and then plan to amplify it. We are also on our way to becoming the go-to destination for nightlife entertainment. In the future, we plan to expand this brand into other cities.

What do you feel has been Persona Chicago’s greatest achievement so far?

We’re most proud of bringing that resurgence of energy to Chicago’s nightlife, especially for black professionals. Before, Persona, there was a lag in Saturday night moves in this city that catered to our community’s needs. Now, our guests know they can count on us for a good-time. You can’t really say, “man, there’s nothing going on this weekend” or “this city’s party-scene is dry” because Persona always has something going on for the culture.

How does Persona Chicago participate within the community in order to give back and why?

We definitely prioritize public service and giving back to the community. It goes without saying that there’s work that needs to be done in Chicago from a youth education, violence, and mental & public health perspective. We feel local businesses, especially black-owned, have a responsibility to get involved.

In July, we donated our space to #TheTakeBack, a Chicago-based, millennial-led anti-violence nonprofit organization, as the venue for their day party fundraiser. We’ve also made donations to Chi Gives Back, the Susan B. Komen Foundation, and My Block, My Hood, My City. Our founders are active members with 100 Black Men Chicago, and we’re always looking for 501(c)(3) organizations to collaborate with.

With the importance of the mid-term elections and getting out the vote, this year, we’ve also hosted political fundraisers for aspiring young and promising candidates and for the Chicago Black Caucus. We plan to do even more in the public space in 2019.

How have you seen Persona Chicago make an impact in the entertainment industry and the lives of entertainment and/or music loving consumers?

We’ve had various entertainers in the building and with our commitment to customer service we make sure to create an environment that respects the privacy of our high-profile visitors. At Persona, you never know who you’ll run into from the who’s who of Chicago, to athletes, actors and influencers, etc., so our guests are pretty used to enjoying themselves and not getting out of hand if a personality happens to be in the section next to them.

We are planning to break into the entertainment industry more in 2019 as we continue to grow. We want our local Chicago artists to think of Persona when it’s time to host an album release or an after-party. We’re prepared to accommodate these type of events and gatherings and are excited to work with new individuals.

Charles, last but not least, what advice can you give people reading about following their dreams?

I am a big advocate of taking that leap of faith. If you’re feeling like it’s time to pursue something new, or what you’ve always wanted to, listen to your instinct, and go for it.

Website: www.personachi.com
IG: @personalounge

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