The Saint James's Club of Montreal

What The Saint James's Club of Montreal does

The Saint James's Club of Montreal (Club Saint-James de Montréal) is a private business and social club founded on July 14, 1857, making it the oldest private club in Canada and the first in Quebec. Operating from a single flagship location at 1145 Avenue Union in downtown Montreal, the club serves senior executives, business owners, corporate members, and honorary/diplomatic figures with a curated hospitality experience that includes fine dining at Restaurant Le 1145 and Bar James under Executive Chef Romain Cagnat, 11 private salons for corporate events and weddings (largest capacity 250 persons), and a year-round calendar of networking lunches, wine tastings, and member activities. The club also offers branded retail products (the Apéro Box, branded wine glasses, gift cards) and complimentary concierge services through Arthur Majordome and Altitude Connections.

The business model combines recurring annual membership dues — structured across Regular (age-based), Privilege (graduate, diplomatic, honorary), and Corporate (2-8 delegates per organization) tiers — with transaction-based revenue from F&B, event hosting (wedding packages from $168/person with 75-person minimum; networking lunches at $60/person), and retail. Member acquisition is sales-led via referrals, corporate outreach, the Prestige Referral Program ($1,000 annual grand prize), and inbound inquiries through the stjamesclub.ca website. The underlying technology is a Squarespace-based member portal and e-commerce platform with Google Analytics and CyberImpact for email — no proprietary technology stack or AI capabilities are indicated.

Strategic positioning rests on three pillars: 165+ years of brand heritage, four consecutive Platinum Clubs of the World Top 100 recognitions, and reciprocal access to 250+ affiliated private clubs globally via the International Associate Clubs (IAC) network plus 1,100+ private golf courses through Links Golf. Partnerships with Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, three Quebec golf clubs (Kanawaki, Beauharnois, Country Club de Montréal), and Espace Tonik (wellness, since June 2022) extend the member value proposition. The club is governed by a Board of Directors and led by General Director Valentin van Beek (appointed 2024), with no parent company, external investors, or public funding — operating as an independent member-owned institution with approximately 20 full-time and 25-30 part-time staff.

Name

The Saint James's Club of Montreal

Legal name

Club Saint-James de Montréal

Website

https://stjamesclub.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1857

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Saint James's Club of Montreal is a 165-year-old private business and social club in downtown Montreal offering tiered memberships, fine dining at Restaurant Le 1145, 11 private event salons, and reciprocal access to 250+ affiliated clubs globally for senior executives and corporate members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Members Club Hospitality

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Memberships & Invitation-Only Experiences (HSACAMAL)

Keywords

• Private members club
• Business club services
• Fine dining hospitality
• Corporate event venues
• Executive networking club

Headquarters

HQ city

Montreal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees structured by age tier (under 40, 40-65, over 65), residency status, university affiliation, and corporate plans covering 2-8 delegates per organization.
2. Fine Dining Restaurant and Bar: Restaurant Le 1145 and Bar James generate revenue from à la carte dining, sommelier services, and private dining events for members and their guests.
3. Event Hosting and Private Functions: Revenue from renting 11 private salons and dining rooms for corporate meetings, weddings, banquets, and social events. Catering and custom menus are tailored per event.
4. Retail: Apéro Boxes and Merchandise: Direct-to-consumer sales of branded food products (Apéro Box for two) and branded merchandise (wine glasses, gift cards).
5. Concierge and Ancillary Services: Revenue from valet parking, electric vehicle charging ($5/use), and on-demand concierge services (Arthur Majordome, Altitude Connections) offered at preferential rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Saint James's Club of Montreal sells tiered annual memberships (Regular, Privilege, and Corporate) that grant access to a downtown Montreal private club featuring gourmet restaurant Le 1145 and Bar James, 11 private salons for events, a year-round calendar of networking activities, and reciprocal access to 250+ affiliated private clubs worldwide via the IAC network. The club also generates revenue from private event hosting, à la carte dining, branded retail products (Apéro Boxes), and ancillary concierge and parking services.

Product overview

The Saint James's Club of Montreal is a prestigious private business club offering a comprehensive suite of hospitality and networking services. Its core offerings include the gourmet restaurant Le 1145 and casual Bar James under Executive Chef Romain Cagnat, alongside 11 private event spaces (Salons 1-9, Salle Saint-Denis, Salle Midway) for corporate events and receptions. The club provides various membership programs (Regular, Privilege, and Corporate) with access to over 250 affiliated clubs worldwide via IAC network. Additional services include takeaway gourmet products (La boîte Apéro), monthly networking lunches, and concierge services through Arthur Majordome and Altitude Connections.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Programs (Regular, Privilege, Corporate)
• Restaurant Le 1145

Quantifiable outcome

• Elected among the 100 best city private clubs in the world — Platinum Clubs — 4 consecutive times
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• Espace TonikminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2022Starting June 1, 2022, members receive 2 free annual day passes for themselves and family, preferential rates on private reservations ($100), and member pricing on activities at this nature and wellness space near Montreal.
• Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, Bailliage de MontréalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Club is a proud partner of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, Bailliage de Montréal. This prestigious gastronomic society partners with the club to host events such as the Young Chefs Competition, where Montreal's winner advances to national and international finals in Paris.
• International Associate Clubs (IAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe club is a member of the IAC network, providing its members access to approximately 250 private clubs worldwide. Members can use the IAC online platform (iacworldwide.com) to reserve dining, rooms, and meeting spaces at affiliated clubs globally.
• Links GolfcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership provides members with preferential rates at over 1,100 private golf courses worldwide, complementing the club's existing relationships with local Quebec golf clubs (Kanawaki, Beauharnois, Country Club de Montréal).
• PlatinumClubflagshipOthersPlatinumClub is the global organization that recognizes and ranks the world's top 100 city private clubs. The Club Saint-James has been elected to this prestigious list for 4 consecutive years.
• Arthur MajordomeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxury concierge service available to members at no annual subscription fee. Services include personal assistance, residential management, and specialized purchases.
• Altitude ConnectionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxury concierge service available to members at no annual subscription fee, offering bespoke assistance and travel-related services.
• Kanawaki Golf ClubminorOthersOne of three golf clubs the club has established arrangements with, providing members access to private golf experiences. Kanawaki is mentioned as a premier Quebec golf destination.
• Beauharnois Golf ClubminorOthersOne of three golf clubs with which the club has partnerships, providing preferential golf access to members.
• Country Club de MontréalminorOthersOne of the three golf club affiliations, extending members' access to Montreal-area private golf courses.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Vancouver Club: Private heritage business club in Vancouver founded in 1889. Directly comparable as a Western Canadian peer offering membership, fine dining, event spaces, and corporate packages to senior business leaders.
• The National Club: Private business and social club in Toronto founded in 1874. Direct peer as a Canadian heritage business club targeting senior executives with dining, event spaces, and tiered memberships — directly comparable model in a different Canadian metro.
• University Club of Montreal: Montreal-based private club for university graduates offering dining, meeting rooms, and networking events. Direct local peer competing for the same francophone/anglophone executive market in downtown Montreal.
• The Rideau Club: Ottawa's premier private business club since 1865, serving senior government officials, diplomats, and executives. Comparable in tiered membership structure, F&B operations, and event hosting for Ottawa's business/diplomatic elite.

Broad incumbents

• The Core Club: New York-based ultra-premium private club for C-suite executives and entrepreneurs. Comparable in targeting senior business leaders with premium amenities, though US-focused and considerably higher price point.
• The University Club of New York: Heritage private club in Manhattan founded in 1865, with library, dining, athletic facilities, and event spaces. Comparable as an urban heritage business/social club with tiered membership serving professionals.
• Soho House: Global private members club operator with 40+ houses worldwide. Comparable membership-club business model with F&B, events, and creative-class focus, but at much larger scale and broader demographic positioning.

Regional players

• The Albany Club: Toronto-based private business and dining club. Comparable in Canadian private-club model with F&B focus and executive membership, though operating exclusively in the Toronto market.

Others

• Chaîne des Rôtisseurs: International gastronomic society and existing partner of Club Saint-James. Adjacent/ecosystem participant — connects the club to a global community of culinary professionals and exclusive dining events.
• International Associate Clubs (IAC): Network of 250+ affiliated private clubs worldwide. Existing partner enabling reciprocal member access; ecosystem infrastructure rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Saint James's Club of Montreal