Soho House brings exclusivity to the masses

When the private members’ club Soho House began in 1995, it was a gathering space for local creatives tucked above a London restaurant.

Today, membership has become something to brag about (looking at you, pretentious first dates).

It’s also become something to budget for: In New York, access to houses around the globe rings in at $4.8k+ per year.

• Soho House currently has 40 locations globally (with four more coming soon) and 176k members.
• Prospective members join a waitlist of 95k people and must be suggested by an existing member.

Along with the houses — which offer amenities like gyms, spas, pools, and restaurants — the company also has Soho Works for coworking spaces, an events program for cities without physical houses, and bookable rooms for overnight stays.

Behind the growing empire…

… is publicly traded parent company Soho House & Co. And while its shares initially tanked post-IPO, they’re up more than 50% since the beginning of 2023.

Plus, the company has expanded beyond houses with:

• Retail furniture brand Soho Home
• Cecconi’s, an Italian restaurant chain
• The Line hotels, purchased in 2021
• The Ned, an additional hotel and member’s club
• And skin care brand Soho Skin

North star

With North America accounting for 40% of all Soho House & Co.’s revenue, the company is going all-in on the continent, aiming for 20 houses by 2025.

Its Cities Without Houses list points to possible future locations, with house sizes determined by membership estimates for the first five years (Nashville could bring in 5k-8k members, and would get a large property, while Charleston’s would be smaller).

Like a true trendsetter, Soho House has inspired a social club resurgence. Now it just has to beat all the competition.