At Drop-in we place ourselves firmly in the hospitality sector, and are proud of it. A sector that gets battered in the press; from rising costs to staff shortages. But a sector that is at the heart of so many in-person connections. From our restaurants to our pubs and to our shops. Each is a staple within local communities, and each will stand the test of time despite current headwinds.
At Drop-in we feel privileged to be in the sector. We feel privileged to have our members spend an average of 3 hours and 23 minutes with us per visit. To put it in perspective, the average user goes on Instagram for 28 minutes per day. The average gym visit is well under an hour and restaurants kick us out if we stay too long.
The two of us worked at the forefront of the co-working sector for the past 5 years. We realised that no one has made workspace a true retail offering. So when brainstorming about Drop-in we ignored co-working, and instead looked exclusively to our friends across the entire hospitality sector.
From Soho House to the Hoxton, from Gail’s to Pret, from Blok to ThirdSpace. Why is each thriving? It comes back to people. How their people make their customers feel and the experiences that are had within them.
Whether serving food, coffee or a fitness class, these are almost secondary to the main aim. Which is to create positive and uplifting human experiences and human relationships.
You go to meet friends, family, co-workers or even your network. Hospitality venues are physical assets that serve a purpose to people. They are places that people want to come back to time-and-time again.
For years Soho House has been the poster child for ‘cool’. “How did you get in?” “You have a friend of a friend that knows someone that knows Nick Jones?” “You saw who?”
They say they are a “club for like-minded creative thinkers to meet, relax, have fun and grow”. For over 30 years they have always been focused on their members. And with a waitlist list over 95,000, they are doing something right.
They have beautifully designed spaces that facilitate a unique social scene. But they are nothing without the people that bring them to life. Their employees are the actors in the play, they are the ones that bring the houses to life.
We have taken inspiration from members clubs. A place to meet like-minded people. A place to feel at home away from home. But we add our own USP, which is to make our clubs a place to feel relaxed and to focus on work. And more so, a place that is on your doorstep.
Nothing is more integral to a neighbourhood than the coffee shop. Originating from the Middle East in the 15th century, today they are places to socialise and hold meetings.
Who doesn’t have their local coffee shop they love. In Clapton we have Lonestar and Tram Store, and London wide there are the likes of Gails and WatchHouse.
We love our local coffee shops for a reason. Drop-in has created its own coffee vertical to bring this magic to the entire local community. We want to put smiles on faces as people grab their morning coffee, or help friends have a place to catch-up. The smell, the atmosphere, the vibe that makes each coffee shop so magical has been carefully crafted into the Drop-in DNA.
Gyms that get their customer offering right are booming post-pandemic. The ones that are missing a trick are falling away. PureGym is on an expansion spree, whilst ThirdSpace is popping up all over London.
They offer a model that allows gym goers to pick and choose to suit their life. Whether it is 24/7 access, dynamic memberships or classes that cater to specific needs. Working out can truly fit around our day-to-day schedules, rather than the other way around.
Pre-Covid working habits were easy; a city centre location based around a fixed Monday to Friday schedule. Covid changed all of this. People now have true flexibility.
We created Drop-in to cater to these needs; to the needs of the modern worker. And so we operate more like a gym. There are no barriers to entry or pesky contracts. Instead our offering is truly flexible. Our memberships suit any needs and are designed to be used by the hour. Whether you want to come 2 hours everyday or come for an enitre day every Monday. Our plans are designed for the new way of working.
Drop-in is all about hospitality. We are in the business of creating human experiences for our members. Human experiences that centre around work.
Members clubs, coffee shops and gyms have all doubled up as workspace in recent years. But this is not why they exist. We’ve taken learnings from each and centred it around work. Our clubs are conveniently located to provides local communities with a third place, to escape the confines of their home. Drop-in acts as an extension of your home. When home is too close, our clubs are place to feel at home within your neighbourhood.
