Home Away From Home 

• Benjamin Wood
• The new private club Edison House takes shape along 200 West in Salt Lake City.

A new, exclusive social club has arrived in downtown Salt Lake City. Boasting multiple restaurants and bars, a fitness center and a rooftop pool, Edison House is billed as a place to unwind after a long day or to meet up with friends for a night out.

Club member Michelle Kennedy, general manager of Next Phase Media, said she heard about Edison House from a friend. The more she looked into it, the more it felt like something she'd been looking for in Salt Lake City.

"As an adult, it is easy to stay in a routine or within a specific community that you've already built. This is a really fun and easy way to meet new people," Kennedy said. "I am excited to connect with like-minded people, in terms of being curious, ambitious, kind and open."

Founded by two brothers native to Utah—Charlie Cardon and George Cardon-Bystry— Edison House is shaping up to be the place to be seen. And if the pandemic taught us anything, most people—especially younger generations—need real social interaction beyond Zoom and ostensibly "social" media.

But Edison House is more than just a great nightspot. It's also ideal for networking and connecting with other professionals. Interacting with three-dimensional human beings and attending unique events and mixers is built into the membership dues, which range in price from $175 to $225 a month with an initial $500 onboarding fee and the option to add a life partner at a reduced rate.

Another club member, attorney LaShel Shaw, said she exchanged emails with the head of membership and had several in-person conversations with the Edison House team before joining.

"The sense I got from my membership interview process is that Edison House is trying to curate a diverse membership, but one that is universally community-minded and intellectually curious," Shaw said. "I'm most excited for the community gathering spaces and member programming events."

Amenity spaces at the Edison House will be second to none. Private dining areas are perfect for hosting intimate gatherings or large group celebration. The fitness center is complete with the latest workout machines and modern locker rooms. And the rooftop pool with an adjacent bar area are ideal places to unwind.

How about some private karaoke among friends? Or try your hand in the billiard room? With more than 30,000 square feet to wander about, being an adult has not been this fun since Prohibition ended.

"Salt Lake has been growing exponentially and diversifying in the past five-to-10 years, but lifestyle offerings have been slow to keep the pace," said Lauren Boyack, head of membership for Edison House. "The time is really right for Salt Lake. The fact that demand exceeds our capacity is a testament to how hungry Salt Lake is for a place like this."

Boyack said she and her team have made a point to meet with every person offered a membership to the club.

"I think when you are creating a closed-loop environment, such as a members-only club, it is really important to understand why everyone is here," she said.

The population of Salt Lake City was just over 200,000 in 2021 and rapid construction of new housing is bringing more and more residents into the city center. For the past several years, Utah has ranked high as a top state for economic growth. Add to that the state's culture, outdoor lifestyle and housing market, and you have a booming and attractive town. Newcomers to Salt Lake can add the Edison House to their list of places to meet people.

Dee Brewer, executive director of the Downtown Alliance, said his team is excited for the opening of Edison House and how it adds to the vibrancy of downtown as a place where people live, work and play.

"It will be another downtown gathering place and an additional social amenity adjacent to hundreds of arts and entertainment offerings each year," Brewer said. "The downtown residential population will double in the next 30 months. Social amenities like Edison House are part of the attraction for living downtown. Edison House will add to the dynamism of our urban core."

The food and beverage program at Edison House is spearheaded by Buzz Willey, formerly chef of the now-closed Pallet bistro in Salt Lake City.

Edison House patrons may recognize menu items that were Pallet fan favorites, such as Willey's gnocchi and housemade pasta dishes.

With two restaurants—Society, a casual fine dining restaurant, and Atrium, a casual bar and lounge—Willey and his team have been taste-testing and developing a menu to suit all palates. While the final menu is yet to be solidified, look for some high-end fish dishes, tostadas and sticky buns with pork belly and kimchi.

"My style has been 'prep heavy and plate simple'—very easy for the guests to understand what the dishes are, with some hidden techniques," Willey said. "Fine ingredients, high-level quality and as much local [ingredients as] I can get. We are really going to pay attention to the details on the plate and gain the trust of our guests. I am really excited to start working in downtown again."

At the time of print, Edison House construction is nearing completion, with the social club slated to open in the coming weeks. But a firm launch date had not been set as the club works through its liquor licensing.