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Private clubs changing with the times, but there’s still a need for such places, officials say

Walden Club Director of Services Tracy Jarvis stands in one of the dinning areas with a view high above downtown Chattanooga.
Walden Club Director of Services Tracy Jarvis stands in one of the dinning areas with a view high above downtown Chattanooga.

By Mike Pare 4 min read

Each club needs to be progressive – the events they do, the staff they present.

photo Michael Jinks, interim general manager at Mountain City Club, says the club has about 330 members and has a goal to reach 600.

Mountain City Club official Michael Jinks cites the American Express catch phrase that “membership has its privileges” when talking about the downtown Chattanooga entity.

“It’s a home away from home,” says Jinks about the longtime club located at Chestnut and Eighth streets. “When you come in here, the staff is extended family.”

Private clubs such as the Mountain City Club, the Walden Club and others in the city are fighting to stay relevant in an age when some younger business people question the need.

Tracy Jarvis, director of services at the Walden Club located at the top of the Republic Centre, also on Chestnut, says there’s a new demographic to which he has to show the reasons for taking part in a private club setting.