Members Only

New York City has a long history of exclusive private clubs. My first exposure to a private club was more than 30 years ago when I was hired to play sax in the band for a member's birthday party at the 21 Club. It was a night that will forever be embedded in my memory because it was my first real peek into the window of New York’s ”rich and famous”. The club was originally a former Prohibition-era speakeasy operating for 90 years before Covid permanently shut it down. It had hosted every U.S. President (except for George W. Bush) since Franklin Delano Roosevelt.?

The Union Club was the first private club ever in Manhattan. It was founded in 1836 in a beautiful landmark building on the Upper East Side. I've never been, but it has five dining rooms, a library, a lounge, a card room, and squash courts. Some of the most notable Members were Cornelius Vanderbilt, William Randolph Hearst, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Ulysses S. Grant. I'd love to see their current member list.?

Over the past few years, a new wave of private clubs has opened around town. I've spent time in several of them, and I've noticed that the club is almost always a mirror of people who frequent it. These next-generation clubs are very different from The Harvard Club, The Metropolitan Club, and The National Arts Society. These are more like the Gen Z of private clubs. No squash courts or card rooms, but an abundance of Insta-worthy opportunities. Most frequent these clubs looking for business opportunities rather than camaraderie.

I had a breakfast meeting this week at The Aman Club in the Crown Building on Fifth Avenue. It is gleaming and new. The paint is still wet, and the staff is still trying to identify who is worthy of entry - but the omelet was tasty I must say.?And it was the usual cast of characters.?When I arrived at the building, I passed another real estate brokerage owner leaving. On my way out, I passed another owner of a real estate company arriving.??

Also, this week, a broker event was hosted at what is being called "The World's Highest Private Club." (They are selling condos downstairs). Every agent who attended the event received a free annual membership to the club. It reminds me of the good old days when landlords gave away a free Rolex to the agent who leased their space. Nice perk, but not exclusive.?

Some clubs don't want any real estate agents to be members. However, a number of my peers brag about their affiliation. I get it. Nobody wants to be hassled and hustled to sell or buy a home when you're chilling at the rooftop pool with other "artists."?

My favorite club in New York City is for actual artists. It is the Village Vanguard. (Yes, I realize it isn't private.) It's open to everyone. It's one of the world's most renowned jazz clubs located in the basement of a building in the West Village on Seventh Ave. Bodyguards and security don’t bother you here. The drinks are fine, but for a reasonable cover charge, you can hear some of the best music in the world - surrounded by some of the most interesting and educated people you will ever meet. You also likely won't be hustled for your contact information to discuss your next real estate purchase.?

As for private clubs, maybe they offer their members a window into who they think they?should?be - the association being more aspirational than inspirational. Business leaders?should?be "networking" and schmoozing their clients and colleagues. They?should be?flaunting their success and boasting of their achievements. Why? They aspire to be like the others in the room.?

As for me, I would rather be inspired. I am probably naive, and it most certainly curtails my success. Still, I will always seek out?what?can make me better - not?who?can make me better, and for that, I will head to a tiny, dark downtown jazz club every single time.

Let’s do this-

Shaun