A Place for Everyone: Nokturna Club Turns One

By Adriana Nabila Shahrunizam,

When the sun sets at IIUM Pagoh, a small stall comes alive. From 6 pm to 11 pm, cups are filled, orders are called out, and students far from home gather for a drink and a sense of belonging. Nokturna Club turned one on 20 October, and on the 24th, at Home6 in Panchor, they celebrated one year of exactly that. 

The name Nokturna is derived from the word “nocturnal”, meaning active at night. It began with a roadside conversation between friends, who took over a stall from graduating seniors under the name Klasikara, and then rebranded as Nokturna Club to build a culture of their own.

Co-founder Muhammad Arif Fikri, known as Iqie, a fourth-year English for International Communication student, arrived in Pagoh feeling there was little here. His vision for Nokturna was to bridge the gap between students and the local community. It is a vision that he says he could never have carried alone. Behind every cup served is a team: Ammar and Arrif on media design, Amir on logistics, and Iqie on management. Each role, he insists, matters just as much as the next.

But it has not always been easy for Nokturna. Iqie recalls a low point when events in Kuala Lumpur and Pagoh fell on the same weekend and they earned less than they hoped. What anchored him was a prayer: “Lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāh” (there is no power and no strength except with Allah). “If it isn’t my rezeki today, it’s okay. Tomorrow we’ll wake up and do it again,” he says.

Running a business with friends, he admits, means misunderstandings are bound to happen, and staying professional is what keeps it working. “If you want to go far in life, don’t walk alone,” he adds.

For Hannah, one of Nokturna’s baristas, the job has become a safe space. When orders overwhelm her, the team steps in to help. “They’re like a family,” she says. Watching the founders rise after every hardship inspires her, and she hopes Nokturna becomes well known beyond Pagoh, with the recognition it deserves.

Iqie’s most meaningful compliment was hearing that Nokturna welcomes everyone. That is the heart of their vision. To everyone in Pagoh who feels lost, especially juniors, he says: “Don’t rush to change your programme. Come to Nokturna. We can create a space where everyone feels included.” 

As the night winds down, Iqie offers his thanks to the people who made the year possible: “To my team, Ammar, Arrif, Naufal, Adam, Dina, Nurish, Hannah, Dawi, Icap, Naqi, Manji and Amir, thank you so much for standing by my side all this while. To Maya, who has been by my side since day one, and to all my customers and my community, thank you for the support. Without you, Nokturna is nothing.”

Some days there are customers. Some days there aren’t. At Nokturna, they wake up and do it all again. From all of us at Pagoh, congratulations on your first year. Thank you for making room for everyone, and here’s to many more nights like this. ***