Soho House (club)

Soho House is a chain restaurant[1] and group of private members' clubs originally aimed at those in the arts and media, but more recently expanded to include those with a 'creative soul'.[2] The original location is at 40 Greek Street, Soho, London. The company now operates clubs, hotels and venues around the world, and in 2015 changed from SOHO House Group to Soho House & Co.[3] Membership is selective and members are drawn mainly from the media, arts and fashion industries.[4][5]

Soho House
Formation1995
TypePrivate members' club
Headquarters72–74 Dean Street, London, England
Location
  • Worldwide
Membership
private persons
LeaderRon Burkle
Websitewww.sohohouse.com

History & Ownership

Nick Jones (Soho House founder and previous managing director) sold 80% of the club to British high-street tycoon Richard Caring in 2008.[6] On 13 January 2012, the Financial Times announced that 60% of Soho House Group had been acquired by the US billionaire Ron Burkle, through his investment fund Yucaipa for approx. £250m, with founder Nick Jones retaining 10% and Richard Caring (Caprice Holdings) 30%, however, in September 2015 the company’s high leverage and limited free cashflow was under scrutiny by fixed income investors.[7][3][8] However, company profit potential has been affected by growth in new clubs.[9]

Clubs (Private)
Soho House in Toronto
The rooftop at Soho House in New York

As of 2020, Soho House operates 27 clubs worldwide.[10]

Membership

Soho House membership policies focus on creativity "above net worth and job titles" with "studied resistance to ostentation...[and] cultivated status signifiers," and favour moral values over financial success ("several execs were banned because they were thought to be abusive to their assistants")[11] In June 2015, Soho House had over 50,000 members and a global waiting list of over 30,000.[8]

Incidents

In 2002, the London branch of the club made headlines as Iris Law, the two year old toddler daughter of actor Jude Law and his then wife, actress and designer Sadie Frost, was briefly hospitalized after accidentally consuming a part of an ecstasy tablet she found on the floor of Soho House while attending a child's birthday party.[12] Law was ultimately unharmed.

In 2009, more than 80 residents signed an appeal by a neighborhood association against allowing Soho House to move into the top two floors of Luckman Plaza in West Hollywood, near Los Angeles. The opening of the West Hollywood location also drew opposition from Beverly Hills Mayor Nancy Krasne.[13] In Amsterdam, the Netherlands, an attempt to open a new club also meets fierce protests.[14] An Amsterdam House opened nonetheless in August 2018 , as well as a second house in Barcelona .

Soho House New York was featured in season 6 of the TV Series Sex and the City in an episode titled "Boy Interrupted". In this episode, Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall) pretends to be a member by using a stolen membership card.[15]

On 16 August 2017, the film Tulip Fever (starring Alicia Vikander) was first screened at London's Soho House.

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References
  1. d’Arcy, Susan (22 April 2018). "White City House: exclusive review of the new Soho House hotel at BBC Television Centre". The Sunday Times. ISSN 0956-1382. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  2. Ellis-Petersen, Hannah (30 October 2016). "Soho House struggles to maintain appeal for 'magic people'". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  3. "Nick Jones on the opening of Soho Farmhouse". The Caterer (Janet Harmer). 27 August 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  4. Wong, Pamela (18 April 2017). "Members Only: Soho House Joins High-End Hotel, Condos In DUMBO – BKLYNER". BKLYNER. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  5. Baum, Gary. "L.A.'s Soho House Turns 5: Membership Rejections, Success Secrets Revealed in Oral History". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  6. Addley, Esther (13 January 2012). "Soho House agrees £250m deal". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  7. "US billionaire Burkle buys UK's Soho House". Financial Times ft.com. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
  8. "Finance returns the favour and snubs Soho House". Reuters (Robert Smith). 25 April 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  9. "Membership Is Closer than You Think". Bloomberg (Lionel Laurent). 5 February 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  10. [c]
  11. "L.A.'s Soho House Turns 5: Membership Rejections, Success Secrets Revealed in Oral History". 27March2015. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  12. Braingan, Tania. "Jude Law's daughter in ecstasy mishap at club". Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  13. Alexandra Zavis, West Hollywood residents object to plans for new club Los Angeles Times, 16 August 2009.
  14. Sterre van der Hee, Folia Civitatis, 23 juli 2017.
  15. Freydkin, Donna (7 August 2003). "NYC's Soho House: Celebrity members only". USA Today. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
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