New York's members' clubs are getting even more niche

The light-filled bar at Moss – one of a bevy of new members' clubs that have sprung up in New York this past year.

(Image credit: Nicole Franzen)

Private clubs have long been part of the social scene in New York, but recently a boom in members-only spaces has hit the city. And unlike years past, these new and forthcoming establishments aren’t only dealing in exclusivity (which is, of course, still a perk) or serving as networking arenas, but home in on something more specific: niche experiences in exceedingly stylish spaces.

Some of the city’s old establishments have lost their luster by casting too wide a net for members and not keeping up with the times. And new spaces are stepping up. There’s Kith Ivy for padel enthusiasts; Chez Margaux for disciples of Jean-Georges; Stylus for audiophiles whose preferred listening setting is a Pierre Paulin Dune sofa; Moss for health and wellness junkies who unwind from a day’s work with a trip to a hamam; and Lore and Akari for those who treat sauna sessions like a spiritual practice. And joining them are new transplants from other cities: The Ned and Twentytwo crossed the pond from London and San Vicente, which hails from Los Angeles, is now bicoastal since the opening of its Rose Uniacke–designed clubhouse in the former Jane Hotel. Gatekeeping is back.

Work and social lives have changed over the last few years and with this comes new desires over where to gather and for what reasons. Sisters Colleen and Hailey Brooks, the founders of Moss, noticed that the decline in drinking, tech fatigue and nagging sense of loneliness is leading people ‘to seek out social experiences that are engaging and allow meaningful connection’ and there was room to create a space that embodied the sensibility. They describe their Manhattan space, designed by Vicky Charles, the former design director of SoHo House, as being at the crossroads of ‘intelligent leisure and physical culture.’ It offers lounges, a library bar, private dining, movie nights and a speakers’ series.

Moss also has thermal baths, a pickleball court and massage studios, a sign of a growing trend within these clubs: the rise of wellness. New York is famously a nightlife city, but if someone doesn’t want their social calendar to revolve around alcohol, destinations are limited. ‘There's not a ton of things for adults to do in the city where it doesn't affect the way that you wake up the next day or some of it seems to be more draining when it’s finished,’ says Adam Elzer, a cofounder of Lore, a NoHo bathing club in a minimalist, Finnish-inspired space by Ilse Crawford and Ringo Studio. Instead of catching up with friends over cocktails, how about with a cold plunge? Or inside a phone-free alder-wood sauna gently perfumed with citrus, mint and florals?

‘There's not a ton of things for adults to do in the city where it doesn't affect the way that you wake up the next day.'
Adam Elzer, cofounder of Lore

The space – which also includes a cafe, a Hamam-style pool room with heated benches, and infrared sauna – is designed to be an everyday ritual instead of an occasional indulgence, which the membership model enables. ‘We think about membership as a utility over exclusivity,’ says James O’Reilly, another cofounder. ‘It allows us to offer real value for people who see importance in frequency of practice.’

For Shayna Olsan and Luke Carstens, a members-only model for Akari – a Japanese-inspired sauna that draws creative types to its locations in Greenpoint and Williamsburg – also made sense for practical reasons. It manages overcrowding, maintains a tranquil environment, and eliminates the hassle of booking appointments. But it also created ‘more of an intimate crowd who all are all into the same thing, all sort of get it, and are respectful and treat the space the right way,’ Carstens says. Next year, they’re opening a Lower East Side location.

Sam, a 35-year-old designer and technologist, started going to Akari a year and a half ago and visits three to four times a week. It’s the first members-only space he’s joined and he appreciates the sense of calm there and how the collective respects the environment. ‘The tempo at Akari is so much slower than what it feels like outside, and that's a huge appeal,' Sam says. ‘You exist in this space with other people and there is this responsibility to take care of the space together.’

The city’s business landscape has also been friendlier to members clubs. As the New York Times reported, commercial landlords, who have more vacant space since the pandemic, are amenable to new types of tenants to fill their square footage. And as the bar for amenities at new luxury towers rises higher and higher, an exclusive space can draw more people to lease or buy. As Robb Report has reported, developers see clubs as a way to elevate their addresses. Better to have a buzzy space than an empty, albeit beautiful, lounge. To wit: the developers of 520 Fifth Avenue, a new supertall skyscraper by the architecture firm Kohn Pedersen Fox, are partners with Moss.

The margins are also more favourable. For a time, upscale hotels touted their chic lobbies, but soon they became defacto (and overcrowded) coworking spaces. If people are going to park themselves there for hours on end, may as well charge a premium to do it. Plus, social clubs can qualify for tax exemptions, which also helps these spaces remain viable amid fast-rising rents and development costs.

The founders of Stylus, a forthcoming Lower East Side space dedicated to what its founders call the ‘ephemeral arts’ — meaning music, performance, and food — didn’t set out to start a members-only club but ‘stumbled upon’ the model, says Luisa Gui, the club’s managing director. Established by an anonymous group that includes art world veterans, entrepreneurs, physicians, Stylus is also an extension of the founders’ philanthropic work. The one-time initiation fee members pay is considered a tax-deductible donation to a 501(c)(3) non-profit, which in turn funds the artists Stylus commissions. Dues, meanwhile, are paid to a 501(c)(7), which is exempt from federal taxes. The former, per Gui, ‘underlines that we are there to support experiences of artists,’ while the latter, ‘ensures that we can survive and cover our expenses.’

It also, says Gui, makes members more personally invested in the club. ‘It maintains a high ideal of what we were trying to do.’

And what Stylus is trying to do is provide a space that’s optimized for the senses and people who are interested in and curious about art from all disciplines. The building, by O'Neil Rose Architects, features integrated sound systems by Devon Turnbull and a fleet of acoustical advisors; custom resin DJ booth and furniture by Sabine Marcelis; and the listening room. Anita Lo, a Michelin-starred chef, is creating the restaurant’s menu.

Gui envisions members starting their day at Stylus with a sound meditation, transitioning to ‘soft work’ after (it’s not a coworking space, Gui says, but phone calls and laptops are permitted in select areas), then stay for a talk, screening, or performance in the evening. It’s targeting a crowd for whom ‘The idea of just hopping from place to place I think is just not as appealing,’ Gui says.

Membership has just opened and one of the first people to join is Shanika Hillocks, a brand strategist. At this moment, she’s leaning more into her music background and finding more community with this shared interest. ‘I look forward to immersing myself in a space that will not only offer music experiences from the best in the industry but will also bring diverse people – across cultures, ages, and professions – together,’ Hillocks says.

In a city of eight million over-scheduled, high-stress people, the comfort of a home away from home is perhaps one of the most exclusive things to have.

New York's members-only boom shows no sign of stopping – and it's about to get even more niche

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