Recently, Windy City Times had the chance to check out West Loop event space Morgan's on Fulton ( MorgansOnFulton.com; 950 W. Fulton St. ).
Morgan's ( which opened last May ) has four levels: the rooftop/penthouse, Suite C, gallery and the studio, located in the basement. ( James Geier—president of Chicago restaurant and nightclub design firm 555 International Inc.—designed and renovated the site. ) Geier and venue manager Sheyna Ochs took WCT through the space, which, as a bonus, has customizable floor plans:
—Rooftop/penthouse: The view from this site is spectacular if you're outside. ( A perimeter garden adds to the attraction. ) However, even in cases of inclement weather, this might be the right spot for your event, thanks to an enclosed space that boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, an ambient sound system and cool cafe lighting.
Of the area, Geier said, "It's such an exciting space—and the [neighborhood] is great; there are so many interesting restaurants, from The Publican to Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken, which has the best fried chicken in the freakin' world."
—Suite C: This area ( a floor beneath the rooftop ) features exposed brick and mango wood floors as well as a set-up kitchen. Ochs said, "The first wedding we hosted was a same-sex wedding, held May 24 in Suite C." The kitchen is massive, that a chef ( Ochs' husband ) helped design. "A chef can literally walk in and create an entire meal here," she said.
—Gallery: The first floor of Morgan's has retractable storefront windows, video-projection capabilities and access to the underground event space ( studio ). And there's an added benefit to this part of Morgan's: "When you rent the rooftop space, you get the gallery as well," according to Ochs.
—Studio: The perfect space for everything from late-night parties to a daytime meeting, the graffiti-laced studio has a full built-in bar, a DJ both, an LED light feature and even coat check. "Let's say that you're on the roof and 11 o'clock rolls around and want to get off the roof. If you don't want to leave, you can stay until two or three—and be as loud as you want," Ochs said, adding, "You can take the elevator down or take the stairs, and have this grand entrance with all the LED lights."
Ochs added that, understandably, summer is the hardest season to book ( and the schedule is filled for this summer already, with inquiries about 2017 already being fielded ). She also said that Morgan's loves working with people and causes who are looking for the best possible rates.
Geier added that Morgan's can "probably handle up to three different events simultaneously."
As if all that isn't enough, there are all the required amenities. "We have all the tables, all the chairs, SurroundSound and a list of preferred caterers," Ochs said.
