New Yorkers Don’t Think Soho House Is Cool Anymore: Report
Once upon a time, Soho House was the place to see and be seen in New York City. But that fairytale seems to have come to an end.
New Yorkers are bemoaning that the members club is no longer worth the price of admission, the New York Post reported on Wednesday. While it once felt like an exclusive hangout frequented by the rich and famous, it's reportedly become overcrowded and lacking when it comes to service.
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"Vibe is off. Mostly crowded and the scene feels oddly the opposite of creative," a New Yorker in the fashion industry told the Post . "I have a friend who is an analyst at a bank and he still likes it," someone in the music business added. "But he's a finance guy so he doesn't really know what's cool."
Since opening its first location in London in 1995, Soho House has expanded around the world , including its three outposts in New York. By the end of 2023, it had 255,363 members, according to the Post , including more than 100,000 people who joined during the pandemic. That influx has led some members to call for a paring-down of the list, and the company said in December that it was no longer admitting new members in New York, Los Angeles, or London.
While that may appease some Soho House regulars, the company is still facing unfavorable headwinds. Earlier this month, a report suggested that the company is looming toward bankruptcy , and that its stock price may eventually plummet to zero. (For its part, Soho House said that the report had several inaccuracies, but it's also exploring whether to become a private company once again.)
"What matters to us the most is making our New York members happy," a spokesperson for Soho House told the Post . "Soho House is their home away from home and we strive to make their experience in the Houses the best it can be."
Some members are still pleased with their Soho House experience: A few New Yorkers told the outlet that they find the members club convenient, fun, and community driven. And even if they don't love the vibe in New York, they say that the international locations make up for it. Outside the U.S., you may still see celebs having lunch at one of the outposts, and you have easy access to a network of places for meetings, dinners, and the like.
Still, N.Y.C is in new era of members clubs, with the likes of Zero Bond and ZZ's Club attracting more and more clientele. It's Soho House's world no longer—at least exclusively.
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