Soho House has become so popular that it’s no longer admitting new members to access its clubs in three cities as it deals with complaints of overcrowding.
Beginning in 2024, people looking to secure an annual membership — which can cost as much as $5,000 — will be out of luck. The chain of private clubs aimed at creatives is halting the acceptance of new members in New York, Los Angeles and its city of origin, London.
Soho House founder Nick Jones revealed the news in an email to members, explaining that he’s “very focused on improving service, as well as making sure our Houses don’t feel too busy.” He said it is “closing the doors to new members” and “will only be accepting members in locations where we have capacity.”
Soho House didn’t immediately reply to comment on whether this is a permanent change. Across the three cities there are about 20 houses, all of which have restaurants with bars: some have pools, workout facilities, spas and hotel rooms.
The company launched in 1995 with its first club on London’s Greek Street and has since expanded to about 40 clubs across the world. Soho House (SHCO) went public in 2021 and has about 185,000 members and another 98,000 on its waitlist.
Although it’s still a favorite among celebrities and royals (Prince Harry took Meghan Markle to one on their first date), members have been complaining about overcrowding from admitting too many new members and declining customer service that have dented its exclusivity feeling.
Despite the complaints, Soho House said in its recent earnings call that it still plans to grow its membership base to 210,000 members by the end of 2024, with those new members likely coming from cities where it is expanding, such as São Paulo, Mexico City and Portland, Oregon.
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