WEALTH CLUB
When I started mentioning to people that I was writing a story on premiumisation within the fitness industry, it wasn’t long before I heard about The Atrium Club, an exclusive, men’s-only gym patronised by politicians, newsreaders and national sports stars. At the time, my source couldn’t actually name the central Auckland establishment because her source — a member — wouldn’t reveal it. Convinced that I’d stumbled upon the Skull and Bones of the local gym scene, I started digging, and was almost disappointed at how easily I found what I was looking for. One Google search, first result.
The disappointment didn’t end there. A recently published write-up (second search result) revealed that my source’s source, who’d spoken of valet laundry services and lavish catering, was severely overhyping the place. All amenities appeared pretty stock-standard. There undoubtedly are several famous faces on the books, all shelling out around $2400 per year for their memberships. But I’ve been to pricier yoga studios, and I’m not on retired-All Black money. I am, however, a millennial and this apparently makes all the difference.
The luxification of
