Chicago Sun-Times

Women’s social club The Wing setting up shop in Fulton Market

Women’s social club releases renderings of Fulton Market location

- ALICE BAZERGHI REPORTS,

The Wing, a “women-focused” social club known for cameos by A-listers like Hillary Clinton and Jennifer Lopez, has released renderings for its upcoming Fulton Market District location.

The club chose to set up shop in Chicago’s West Loop based on feedback from prospectiv­e members, and an eye on a space that could be transforme­d into the Wing’s signature aesthetic: airy spaces, mid-century modern furniture in pastel hues and rainboword­ered libraries.

“Our developmen­t and new space teams always look for spaces that will really allow us to spread our wings in terms of design and architectu­re and really allow us to do what we want,” said Zara Rahim, senior director of strategic communicat­ions at The Wing.

The 9,000-square-foot space will feature a main co-working room, a beauty room, a lactation room, a quiet room and a cafe stocked with food and drinks from local womenowned or co-owned businesses.

The Wing first made headlines in Chicago when Mayor Rahm Emanuel sent a letter to founders Audrey Gelman and Lauren Kassan asking them to open a location in the Windy City. At the time, a Chicago location was already being scouted, but Gelman told the Sun-Times the letter made plans “much more gung-ho.”

Like locations in New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., Chicago members can expect to pay $215 per month for one location, or $250 per month for access to all Wing locations.

The Wing also plans to offer two-year scholarshi­ps to women who are “under-represente­d in membership.”

Though The Wing was not ready to announce a guest list for the Chicago club, other locations have hosted Jennifer Lawrence, Cynthia Nixon, Venus Williams, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Busy Phillips, Padma Lakshmi and Chicago’s Valerie Jarrett, who also contribute­d to The Wing’s Series C funding round in December 2018.

“Programmin­g is a key part of what The Wing has to offer,” said Rahim. “I remember in one week alone in December, we had Tina Fey, Jennifer Lopez and Maya Rudolph in a space. In 2019, we’re really excited to bring that programmin­g to Chicago.”

The Wing expects to open its Chicago space in March.

 ?? PROVIDED BY THE WING ?? The Wing plans to open its first Chicago location, a 9,000-square-foot space, in March.
PROVIDED BY THE WING The Wing plans to open its first Chicago location, a 9,000-square-foot space, in March.

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