The rise of niche clubs is a clear response to a deep cultural shift. Today’s members are no longer satisfied with surface-level connections or broad-based networking. They are seeking communities that reflect who they are and what they care about. As expectations evolve, private clubs are rethinking how to stay relevant while maintaining their core identity.
But for many club owners, this raises a real challenge: how do you embrace niche positioning without losing long-standing members who joined under a more general banner? The answer lies in strategy, communication, and incremental evolution, not reinvention overnight.
This guide explores practical ways to intentionally niche down, test new ideas, and integrate new offerings into your club’s DNA without alienating your current base.
Why Niche Positioning Is on the Rise
From pickleball-centric athletic clubs to outdoor adventure groups , the diversity of niche clubs gaining traction today is staggering. Many are rooted in a single shared identity, such as sustainable living, mindfulness, or creative entrepreneurship. Examples include wellness clubs like Remedy Place in Los Angeles, innovation hubs such as The Assembly in San Francisco, and craft-focused communities like The Wing’s creative coworking spaces. Even rural communities are seeing a rise in hyper-local clubs organized around regenerative agriculture, slow food, or outdoor recreation.
Generalist clubs, in contrast, are feeling the pressure. While some remain strong due to historical prestige or real estate assets, many are struggling to keep younger generations engaged. Industry leaders have noted that clubs with no clear cultural or experiential positioning are more likely to face stagnant or declining membership as newer, more focused models capture member attention.
Consumer behavior has changed dramatically over the past five years. According to McKinsey’s May 2025 report on the future of wellness, 56% of Gen Z in the U.S. prioritize fitness as a key value, showing a direct link between identity and lifestyle. These values are extending into social and membership choices.
A recent Eventbrite study found that 95% of Gen Z and millennials want to turn online interests into real-world experiences, and 84% report having formed close friendships in these niche communities.
These trends point to a broader, long-term shift toward identity-driven communities. Clubs that tap into these values can build stronger loyalty, reduce churn, and improve event engagement over time.
Start with Discovery: Listening First
As a club owner or manager, you may be wondering how to transition from a generalist club to one more niche. It may seem overwhelming or even scary to think of rebranding. You don’t want to lose the members you already have. But before you reposition your club or even test a niche program, you need to know what your members truly value. This begins with listening.
Conduct a structured member feedback initiative. Use surveys, one-on-one conversations, and feedback forms to learn what your members want more of. You might find surprising overlaps, like an appetite for curated wine education events, wellness programming, or local volunteer initiatives.
Most importantly, involve your staff. Front-line employees often hear informal feedback that never makes it to leadership. Make them part of the insight-gathering process.
5 Pilot Ideas to Test Niche Programming
You don’t need to overhaul your entire club to start exploring niche opportunities. These five pilot ideas are low-risk, easy to implement, and can help you gauge interest:
- Wellness Wednesdays: Offer yoga, meditation, or nutrition talks once a week to connect with wellness-focused members.
- Startup Roundtables: Invite entrepreneurial members to share ideas and connect in an informal setting.
- Artisan Nights: Feature member artists or host workshops in painting, pottery, or woodworking.
- Curated Culinary Series: Bring in chefs or sommeliers for themed tastings or cooking classes.
- Neighborhood Walk & Talks: Organize guided walks exploring local culture or history, followed by social mixers.
Start small, observe what resonates, and use participation metrics to decide what to develop further. You can remain the same club you are while still offering niche experiences on a regular basis to appease existing members and attract new ones interested in those activities.
Build Member Buy-In as You Grow
To successfully niche down, you need cultural alignment as much as programming. That means bringing your members along with you.
Use your internal communications to explain why these niche programs are being introduced. Frame them as additions designed to enrich the member experience, not replace existing offerings. You can also invite legacy members to co-host or co-create programs, giving them ownership in the evolution.
Consider starting “interest councils” or member ambassador groups to represent different segments. These groups can test messaging, offer feedback, and help generate grassroots support.
Metrics That Matter
While it may be tempting to take a shotgun approach, it’s better to start slow and then measure. Measurement is critical to saving you time, money, and members. To evaluate whether your niche efforts are working, track more than just event attendance. The following metrics can help you understand the real impact:
- Member Retention Rates: Are members involved in niche programming more likely to renew?
- Net Promoter Score (NPS): Is satisfaction improving among niche participants?
- Referral Activity: Are niche programs attracting new members through word of mouth?
- Depth of Engagement: How frequently do members in niche groups attend events or make bookings?
- Revenue Impact: Are new offerings contributing to incremental spend on services or upgrades?
According to FinModelsLab, elite clubs are hitting renewal rates above 85%, especially those with strong cultural alignment. Your goal should be to match or exceed that benchmark by using niche programming to foster connection.
When to Scale and How
Once a pilot gains traction, you can formalize it. This might mean allocating budget for a recurring series, creating branded marketing for the niche offering, or adding it to your club’s membership tiers.
Scaling doesn’t always mean going bigger. It might mean going deeper. You can enhance an existing niche group by adding mentorship pairings, off-site experiences, or partner perks. The goal is to make the experience richer for those who are engaged, which in turn drives word-of-mouth interest.
Make sure to keep a balance between general and niche programming. The magic is in the mix, where members can opt into specific interests without feeling segmented or excluded.
Future-Proofing Your Niche Strategy
A smart niche strategy should go beyond chasing current trends. It should focus on creating a flexible structure that can adapt as tastes, values, and generational priorities evolve. Building in flexibility from the start ensures your club can shift and grow alongside its members.
Create niche programs that are modular and iterative. Host quarterly reviews to assess which events, series, or communities are gaining traction and which may be waning. Encourage open feedback channels to keep programming in sync with emerging interests. More importantly, design your staff roles and internal systems so they can pivot easily from one theme to another.
Niche clubs built around a shared mindset, like curiosity, creativity, or wellness, tend to stay relevant longer. When a club’s identity reflects a core value rather than a single trend, it becomes easier to evolve programming without losing cohesion.
Summary: The Balance Between Broad and Specific
Clubs that succeed in this moment will be those that evolve thoughtfully while staying grounded in their foundations. You don’t need to abandon your legacy to become relevant. You simply need to listen more closely, test more creatively, and communicate with empathy.
Niche offerings are tools to foster deeper belonging. They give your members new ways to engage, connect, and invite others into the fold. By approaching this shift with care and structure, you can build something both lasting and fresh.
