Private social clubs open doors to the money, vaxxed, and remote

The Future. Exclusive, culture-focused social clubs are undergoing a renaissance as professionals search for spaces that are both “safe” from COVID and capture the social-hobnobbing of yesteryear’s office life. Most of these places are far outside the means of the average worker in the knowledge company, which could present an opportunity for Millennial-focused companies to create clubs that are easier on the wallet, but just as cool and curated.

Card holders only
With public spaces still considered a mine-field for COVID, people (who can afford it) are turning to membership-only clubs for some human interaction.

• Applications for clubs like San Vicente Bungalows in Los Angeles, Faena Rose in Miami, and Casa Tua in Aspen are hitting record highs.
• These clubs, besides being relatively private and highly exclusive, are filled with amenities like lounges, restaurants, theaters, and sitting spaces.
• And now with offices becoming irrelevant, people are using the clubs as workspaces and to socialize with like-minded people.

Community builders
Clinching a spot at one of these clubs doesn’t come cheap. Membership at the San Vicente Bungalows, which only has 2,000 members, costs $4,200 annually for anyone 35 or older, or $1,800 a year for members under 35, and you have to be nominated by a current member to even be considered. Still, the club saw a surge in requests for membership in May 2021 — the height of the vaccine rollout.

According to the Los Angeles Business Journal, social clubs were gaining in popularity even before COVID hit. After a dip in demand, these clubs are back on the rise as people look for safe spaces. The current market for private clubs, such as golf courses and country clubs, hit $20 billion last year, and is expected to grow 2% every year over the next five years.

Membership Collective Group (parent company of Soho House) is probably psyched about that news after going public this past summer to a rocky debut.