Brooklyn's New Members Club for Families | Student Housing Investment

About Key Takeaways Recordings Team Members

Aptitude Overview & Current Investment Opportunity

The Beginning is a purpose-built, multi-floor private club designed exclusively for families in Brooklyn Heights. It blends wellness, childcare, education, and social spaces under a single roof, giving NYC parents a place where work, parenting, and community life coexist seamlessly.

The project spans over 45,000 sq. ft., secured under a uniquely favorable lease structure with five years of free rent, long-term purchasing rights, and attractive terms compared to comparable lifestyle-anchored retail.

Key Takeaways

1. $18M project with strong early backing

$6M is already committed from notable investors including a Stockholm family office, David Williams, and Dean Adler.

2. 1,500+ member applications without marketing

Applications came organically from Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, and nearby neighborhoods.

3. Built to solve everyday parenting challenges

Co-working, wellness, childcare, programming, dining, and social life — in one building.

4. Five-year rent abatement accelerates scale

$14M goes to improvements, $4M to pre-opening/runway. At capacity: 1,200 families → ~$14M annual revenue.

What The Beginning Offers

Size & Layout

45,000+ sq. ft.
Multi-floor: restaurant, pub, gym, fitness studios, soft play, screening room, arcade, roof deck (illustrated on page 3)

Lease Terms

16-year lease
First 5 years rent-free
Right-of-first-offer to purchase building
Right-of-first-refusal on adjacent property

Programming

Wellness + fitness
Childhood enrichment + education
Co-working and meeting spaces
Soft play, jungle gym, arcade, bowling alley
Camps, childcare, and family events

Design

Contemporary, elevated hospitality feel
Created by award-winning designers

Membership Model

~$300 per adult
~$200 per child
$5,000 initiation fee
1,500+ applications in <14 days

‍

The Team

Chris de Koos
Scaled a hospitality-tech business to $22M in revenue; former enterprise strategy lead at Vimeo.

Michael Schoen
Founder/operator in real estate + co-working; advisor to WME/IMG, WeWork, Glossier on community strategy.

Supporting Team

F&B veterans
House & Garden Top-100 designer
Former private-school board chair overseeing programming

Investment Highlights

Investment period:

Brand-led multi-year expansion

Target returns:

$5.5M stabilized NOI

Stabilization & Exit Strategy

Mid-2026 launch

Market validation:

1,500+ applications in 14 days

Roundtable Recordings

Funding $18M Project: $6M Committed, $8M Remaining

How The Beginning hit 1,500+ members with zero marketing spend

Solving the everyday challenges of parenting in NYC

How a five-year rent abatement powers faster expansion

View Full Recording

The

Little Big Hospitality

Team

Michael Schoen

Michael Schoen is Founder and CEO at Little Big Hospitality, where he oversees development and the launch of The Beginning, a family members club scheduled to open in New York in 2026. He is a founding partner of The Schoen Group at Savitt Partners, representing advertising, fashion and creative companies in New York City real estate transactions and leading property identification and lease negotiations. He co-founded A Retail Space, which built a retail site-selection data platform and secured $4M in investment.

Chris De Koos

Chris de Koos is Co‑founder & COO at Little Big Hospitality, where he oversees operations and the launch of The Beginning Clubhouse. He previously led enterprise and North American revenue teams at Vimeo, Triptease and Ravelin, including opening New York operations, hiring and scaling revenue teams, and building go‑to‑market strategy. He holds a B.A. (Honours) from Queen's University.

Ready to get introduced to

Little Big Hospitality

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