It was an evening of celebration, kid-friendly fun and good eats.
Fun Zone had its soft opening and ribbon cutting ceremony Jan. 18, marking the business’ introduction to the Downers Grove community.
The amusement center opened its doors to the public for the first time since its owners, Vick and Ani Sheth, took ownership of the building at 2011 63rd St.
“It means a lot,” Vick said. “It is our first ever [amusement center]. We put everything into it. It’s a small business, even though the size [of the building] is big. At the end of the day, it’s myself and my wife and our [hard] work [putting] everything into it.”
Fun Zone features laser tag, arcade games, Spin Zone bumper cars and fun playlands.
To accommodate larger groups, the amusement center has party packages and rental spaces.
“It’s [a place] for kids from two years old to a 60-year-old kid, and it’s for everybody,” Vick said. “There’s something to do for everybody.”
The Sheth’s decided to open up Fun Zone after realizing they wanted to venture into new territory.
“We’ve have another business,” Vick said. “We still have [ownership,] but it’s with a partner. It’s a home health care business. We liked doing that. It was okay, but we wanted to do something that was more fun, something that [makes] other people smile and laugh. My wife loves kids, and she wanted to do a children-friendly business. So, we were looking at daycares and montessoris, and this [amusement center] was something that came along. It was a good opportunity, so we got into this.”
Vick said the logic behind his and his wife’s decision to set up a business in Downers Grove is simple.
“It was a good location,” he said. “It’s a very family-friendly town. There [are] lots of schools around here, and, of course, [the site] turned out to be business-friendly. This location happened to be available, as well. So, everything came to together to help us choose this place.”
The Sheth’s took ownership of the building in September 2017, and they’ve had work completed on site.
“It took a good four-and-half months to finish the construction,” Vick said.
The amusement center prides itself on providing the community with a variety of different entertainment options.
Fun Zone is in the process of setting up a virtual reality gaming section within the amusement center. When it becomes available in April, it will feature a role-playing game.
By January’s end, the amusement center will have a high-definition movie theater for people to enjoy.
Vick credited the Village of Downers Grove for working with him and his wife to complete the permitting process and inspections and said staff was very helpful and upfront.
“It took us a little while, but they helped us every step of the way,” he said. “Including Mayor [Martin] Tully’s office, they’ve been very supportive, and they’ve been able to help us wherever they can.”
Fun Zone is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Fridays, and 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. Saturdays.
For more information, visit www.funzonechicago.com or call 630-489-2333.