A damning report published in February might be set to destroy the once-essential safe space for elites and their cringe hangers-on, but it speaks to a much larger trend in American sociology.
Soho House, the once go-to hangout for everyone from Leonardo DiCaprio to Taylor Swift, optimized by endorsements from hit shows like “Sex and the City,” is “facing an existential crisis,” according to a hilarious report from Glasshouse Research. The institution is a multi-city-based private members club where elites used to rub shoulders with the plebs of the world (like me, when I was briefly interesting in my 20s).
Soho House used to be the hottest ticket item if you live in places like New York, Los Angeles or London. But these cities have undergone a massive sociological transformation in the last four years and no one seems to be talking about it. And no, I’m not just talking about the in-and-out migration of people to major cities.
I’m talking about our macro-social psychology and how the pandemic showed us that your clubs will never be as fun as just sitting at home with family, having a nice, affordable, relaxing time.
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Current members say that the “vibe is off” at Soho House, with crowds of people clamoring at the bar, and that it is no longer the “bastion of culture” it once was, according to the New York Post.
“I have a friend who is an analyst at a bank and he still likes it,” said a music business source. “But he’s a finance guy so he doesn’t really know what’s cool.”
Having spent a little bit of time at the LA Soho House, I can tell you that it was never a “bastion” of anything except nouveau riche celebs overpaying for cocktails and octopus salad. And while Glasshouse Research seems focused on shorting Soho House’s stock, and the NYP is destroying the vibe, everyone is ignoring the obvious truth of this situation: people hate going out these days.
If you were a multimillionaire, successful in your field, and known to others for the work you do, would you want to go to sit in a darkly lit room with a bunch of strangers who are literally only there to take selfies and spy on you? No. And even if you’re not an elite, but still a legitimate creative, you’re probably spending the $5,163-per-year membership fee on groceries thanks to Bidenomics.
Or you may be paying the amount per month on your mortgage for your massively overpriced Nashville, Tennessee, home that will never recoup its cost, nor will it be worth the interest rates you took with it. (RELATED: Hollywood Elites Snub Heartbreaking Sports Movie About Conservative Wrestling Family)
So, yes, while the “vibe” of this private members club (that ain’t so private anymore) is definitely off, so is our entire sociology. And quite frankly, I don’t know if Gen Z has the intellect or work ethic to reinvent this once-normal form of recreational activity before it disappears completely. And Millennials simply don’t give a crap.
And, quite frankly, if you’re still living in a city … your vibe is kinda off these days.