Pamela Brill

Renovated retail shops are generating greater business for club and resort properties, thanks to better use of space and easier access to more merchandise.

Club and resort properties are increasing the value and appeal of their pool facilities with family-focused water features, dining options and made-in-the-shade seating.

Club and resort properties are designing new bars and pubs that take happy hour to an extended level, with updated space that exudes warmth and comfort.

Kids’ spaces are becoming permanent fixtures as more clubs cater to growing family memberships—and done right, they can make the younger set want to go eagerly to the club, without any kicking or screaming involved.

Clubs are rethinking their approach to locker-room design, with equal parts emphasis on function, style and creating open and welcoming gathering spots.

Snack bars, halfway houses and comfort stations are being designed to be much more than just places for making quick pit stops and grabbing fast-food bites.

Members and guests are raising a glass to how clubs are showcasing upgraded wine rooms and wine cellars as spirited new gathering spaces. 

An uptick in recreational activities prompted the Chatham, N.J. club to give its new facility a full makeover, complete with comfortable surroundings.

With an eye to making fitness a core offer for their members, more clubs are stepping up their games with new facilities that feature streamlined layouts and pleasing aesthetics.

To supplement brick-and-mortar retail stores, some club and resort properties are investing in online counterparts. Not only do these e-shops allow them to ship out of state and provide special offers that may not otherwise be available in-store, they enhance the properties’ ability to establish partnerships with vendors and suppliers. Royal Fox Country Club was…

As the wave of catch-up renovation projects continues at a lively pace for clubs that emerged unscathed from the recession, management has recognized that Involving membership from start to end in all key aspects of renovation decision-making isn’t just a method of people-pleasing, but an essential part of the process, to ensure that members’ voices…

The Highlands, N.C. club completed a renovation of its existing staff housing complex resulting in six full-furnished units that have garnered rave reviews from club employees. The project helped with staff retention, minimizing the scramble for seasonal employees and maximizing employees’ service performance and knowledge of members’ expectations.

The Arkansas club transformed the banquet room into a Candyland-themed setting, complete with activities, decorations and refreshments that pay tribute to the classic board game.

Shops with fresh design approaches and new strategies for maximizing merchandising effectiveness have exciting success stories to tell.

Clubs that have endured dining-design overhauls are vested in long-term success that stems not just from good cooking, but good service. Managers of facilities that have undertaken recent outdoor-dining renovation projects share these secrets to operating efficiently and effectively: Enlist membership input. Ask for feedback and factor it in the design whenever possible. “Our members…