Private Lives

Today, membership clubs offer everything from elevated fitness services to exclusive social and cultural experiences. But which is right for you?

- Melinda Sheckells

WHILE TENNIS CLUBS, golf clubs and country clubs have long been the cornerstone of the membership-club model, new private gathering spaces positioned toward nomadic executives and entrepreneurs are popping up worldwide. Under one roof, you can close deals, share ideas, build community, eat, drink, sleep and socialize. A departure from the guarded, behind-closed-doors institutions of yore, the new generation of membership clubs promises that entry is just a cleverly written application, board approval and paid initiation due away.

But when considering which private club to join, where do you fit in? Each comes with its own target demographic and ethos—and while once known for being sanctuaries for exclusivity, many are taking a decidedly inclusive approach.

A Meeting Place for Disparate People 

Inspiration struck entrepreneur Jennie Enterprise during the early-2000s dot-com boom to create a space for the growing community of global citizens. Enterprise envisioned the members of this venture to be limitlessly curious people who were truly energized by cultural exploration, committed to community engagement and inspired by original perspectives—but not bound by geography. These would become the core values of Core. After an advantageous encounter with property developer Aby Rosen, Enterprise’s dream began to take shape in the form of a brick-and-mortar Core on New York’s 55th Street between Park and Madison, prime Manhattan real estate, which opened in 2005. Core’s membership spans more than a dozen industries, with every member invited because of a compelling individuality.