Teen Nightclub Opens in Gainesville

Posted

Club Eclipse Nightclub in Gainesville opened in July.

Club Eclipse under 21 nightclub on 5615 Wellington Road in Gainesville held its grand opening last Friday night.

The dance club for ages 15 to 20 features live D.J. music, lighted dance floor, a restaurant, dry bar, VIP section and video game lounge.

Owners Jason Flis, his friends Mark Friedrich and wife, Kris Friedrich, all live locally. They wanted to open a club to provide more for teens to do in the area.

“This was an idea I came up with about a year ago, because of my kids,” said Elis. They attended a teen dance club while in Ocean City, Maryland and loved it, he explained.

Flis’s goal was to open a club in the Gainesville area that would provide an upscale club experience for teens while making safety a priority.

By his count, they have succeeded.

Inside, the place offers a sophisticated atmosphere. The room is dark except for strobe lights on the dance floor. Poured concrete counters glow under the blacklight. The bar serves affordable bites and signature virgin cocktails.

A cushy VIP section with table service sits to the right of the dance floor. To the left are couches and large screens for playing video games.

Elis and friends are excited by the club’s music, spun by celebrity D.J.s. “It’s not just kids coming in and listening to music,” said Kris. “It’s a show.”

The owners booked D.J. MTX, a well-regarded EDM D.J. out of Washington, D.C. Not only did he agree to spin for them, but introduced them to other local talent.

Despite all that Eclipse offers, it is no secret that the announcement of the club was not met with universal enthusiasm. Parents had concerns about safety, which they shared with each other and on social media.

However, the owners are confident they have considered safety from all angles and implemented various safeguards to protect their young guests.

“We’ve addressed everything they’re chattering about,” Flis said. “Safety is our number one goal, period. Parents come over, and once they see this place, they realize how serious we are.”

The team hired Virginia Department of Criminal Justice trained security officers that will monitor the parking lot accompanied by drug sniffing K-9s.

All club goers must present identification at the door. Minors receive a different color ID than the college-age crowd. Eclipse even offers phone outlets and chargers at the bar for safe communication.

Additional security measures are explained on the club’s website.

They believe the open house nights and information posted on their website has changed the minds of many adults who were nervous about the club.

Outside entrance of Club Eclipse.

“The open house was for those parents who had concerns,” said Kris. “Every last one of them left feeling reassured.”

One Nokesville mom raved about the place.

“I’m very excited about this for [my children],” said Suzie Frizzle. “I think our kids need a place to go where they are safe. I’m really happy I came. I love how gave it a real club feel.”

Teens who visited were likewise impressed.

“I always though we need something to do as a teenager. We didn’t have a place like this,” said Daniela Cisneros of Haymarket. “I’m really excited to hang out here with my friends and meet new friends.”

Ricky Vo said he was surprised they had Eclipse had the video games a he and his friends like to play.

Eclipse summer hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tuesday nights feature live bands. Minors are required to preregister to be a guest. The dress code is explained on the website. The club is also available for private parties. Owners will be seeking a temporary liquor license for adult events.

More information is available on the Club Eclipse website.

business, bristow-news, club-eclipse, d-j-mtx, dance, dance-club, edm, featured, full-image, gainesville, jason-elis, kris-friedrich, mark-friedrich, new-business, nightclub, prince-william-county, restaurant, teen-club, teenagers, under-21, wellington