Modern Chicago social clubs offer events and deep connections
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Natalie Noonan joined Three Cities Social because she enjoys exploring all parts of Chicago and felt like the price point would allow her to meet new people. Photo: Carrie Shepherd/Axios
Whether you're new to Chicago, looking for new friends, or want to explore new parts of the city, social clubs are trying to cater to those needs.
The big picture: New social clubs are upending stereotypes of private clubs as exclusive and expensive by providing a laid-back space to hang and meet new people.
Why it matters: With hybrid workplace models that mean less time at the office and social circles shrinking after COVID isolation, people are longing for deeper connections rather than one-time meetups or just career networking opportunities.
State of play: Three Cities Social in River North has a mission of "altruism, connection and culture." The name is based on the idea of bridging the gap between the North, South and West Sides, which can feel like three separate cities.
- About 30% of the club's events take place in neighborhoods, founder Draymond Washington told Axios during a tour of the club's loft space that's filled with bright, trendy furniture and a map of Chicago's grid on the wall.
- Membership is $199 a month and includes access to the space that has a library, big-screen TV, private conference rooms and weekly open bars.
The intrigue: The big appeal is a curated, stacked social calendar with about 20-25 events a month, including salon-style dinners, salsa lessons and golf at Jackson Park.
Zoom out: Birch Road, a social club in Roscoe Village and Lincoln Park, calls itself your "neighborhood clubhouse," leaning into the growing need for third spaces — not home, not work but a place to relax or even host friends.
- Birch Road is BYOB and has cellars for members to store wine, mixers for cocktails, and an event space that doesn't require an extra rental fee. Memberships are $145 per month.
- Chicago Girls Who Walk, a free social community, started in 2022 by organizing walks but has since grown to host charity events, mahjong classes and bar crawls.
What they're saying: Natalie Noonan, a communications professional who is a member of Three Cities Social, said her motivation for joining was "exposing myself to volunteer opportunities, meeting people from different backgrounds, coming and having really big, difficult conversations and a safe space to explore those," Noonan says.
- "I think there's very few places [that] are really intentionally bringing people together, in a thoughtful way to talk about those things while also doing a lot of fun things, like crafts."
Between the lines: Noonan and Washington point to the growing difficulty of making new friends in your 30s, when existing friends are at diverging life stages or groups are already well established.
- Washington says Three Cities Social is tailored to 30- to 45-year-olds but welcomes all ages.
The bottom line: Social clubs seem poised to stick around because there are plenty of people looking for community, connection and maybe a place to learn salsa dancing.