Inside Soho House’s Lavish Global Property Portfolio—as Ashton Kutcher Joins $2.7 Billion Takeover of Private Members’ Club

Exclusive private members’ club Soho House has agreed to a $2.7 billion deal that will take the organization private—and see Hollywood star Ashton Kutcher joining its board.

The company, which boasts 46 open venues across the globe with four more “coming soon,” has long been considered one of the most prominent, yet elitist entertainment operations in the world, boasting a number of A-list stars among its client list.

While Soho House keeps the details of its membership closely under wraps, reports suggest that the likes of Kate Moss, Kendall Jenner, and Ellie Goulding have all been members—as well as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who famously had their first date at the club’s Dean Street Townhouse in London.

Founded in London in 1995, the club has been through a very rapid expansion in the last 10 years and now boasts 15 outposts in the U.K. and 17 venues in the Americas, including a Toronto base.

On its website, Soho House describes itself as a “club for creatives,” with annual membership prices ranging from around $3,200 to around $6,000, depending on the kind of access you desire.

In New York City, where the club boasts three venues—Soho House New York in the Meatpacking District, Dumbo House in Brooklyn, and Ludlow House on the Lower East Side—applications for new memberships typically surge in the summer thanks to the rooftop swimming pools that are located in two of the venues, providing a rare place for city residents to cool off during the hottest months of the year.

“Today, we have houses across the world, and each one is designed to be comfortable and characterful, offering our members a unique yet familiar experience every time they visit,” the Soho House website states.

“The houses have spaces for drinking, dining, relaxing, working, and exercising. Our screening rooms show a selection of new and classic films, and our rooftops—both with pools and without—are loved by members.

“Our art collection consists of more than 8,000 curated works, which play a prominent role in the design of every House.”

However, while many of its clubs, restaurants, hotels, and retreats appear full to the brim with guests, Soho House has struggled financially over the last four years.

In 2021, it was officially listed on the New York Stock Exchange, a move that was meant to solidify the company’s financial standing, but instead has seen it suffer through a turbulent 48 months during which its shares have plummeted, according to the BBC.

Some blamed the company’s decision to list on the NYSE for diluting Soho House’s exclusivity—taking away from the elite status that it once held and giving the sense that it was much more open than it had ever intended to be.

Now, it will aim to go private once again—both in terms of its ownership and its membership.

Soho House will be bought by a consortium that is led by MCR Hotels, the third largest hotel group in the U.S., which boasts an array of its own high-profile locations, including the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport and the Gramercy Park Hotel in New York City.

According to the BBC, the agreed offer price of $9 per share was 18% higher than Soho House’s share price at the close of trade Aug. 15—but is significantly lower than the company’s highest share price of $14.21.

In a statement, MCR Hotels’ chairman and CEO, Tyler Morse, said that the group was “excited to be part of the Soho House journey,” while revealing that it is already looking ahead to future expansion.

He added: “We have long admired Soho House for bringing together cultures from around the world into a global network of 46 houses, and we look forward to the continued growth of that fabric, starting with four new houses opening soon.”

As part of the deal, existing shareholders will hold on to their stakes in Soho House—including the group’s original founder, Nick Jones, and British hospitality tycoon Richard Caring.

It is currently unclear whether Soho House will continue its expansion beyond the four current venues that are planned at the moment, however their global hold is already impressive.

The company boasts venues in a slew of U.S. cities, including New York; Austin, TX; Chicago; Los Angeles; Miami; Nashville, TN; and Portland, OR.

Rumors have also abounded in recent years that Soho House is set to open one of its Farmhouses in the New York area, with reports surfacing in 2023 that a property in Hudson had been earmarked as the latest venue in its lineup.

Speaking to Travel + Leisure, a spokesperson for Soho House confirmed that the company had lined up a 19th century estate in Rhinebeck, NY, revealing: “The design inspiration will reference the romanticism of the nearby woodlands, and incorporate natural elements from the historic Roycroft Arts and Crafts movement in the 1800s.”