In October this year M1NT will open its first private club in mainland China, on the 20,000 square foot penthouse floor of the M1NT Tower in Shanghai (currently still called the Cross Tower, on Fuzhou Lu close to the Bund). The 24-story building used to be owned by Goldman Sachs, but they sold it last year for USD 150 million, and it is now being upgraded to a Grade A office space with the M1NT premises on the top floor.
The concept of M1NT is that the club is owned by shareholders who are also members, with the business model being that ownership encourages patronage and will in turn reduce promotional expenses. In total a maximum of 500 shareholders will be accepted, plus a total of 2000 ordinary members who pay annual fees. The model was successfully launched in Hong Kong, where M1NT opened its club in 2006 on 108 Hollywood Road (Central).
My wife and I had lunch with two people from Investor Relations at M1NT last week, and we visited the future club. I have to say hat I was very impressed by what I saw. First of all is the location absolutely stunning. From the club you have a complete view over the Huangpu river and the Pudong skyline on one side (see the picture on top of this post, taken from the building), and over Puxi in the direction of People’s Square on the other side. The penthouse floor itself is also quite amazing, because the ceilings are almost 7 meters high. Something you do not expect in an office tower! With windows up to 6 meters high you have an obstructed 360 degree view of the whole city.
When you enter the first thing you will see is a 17-meter long hammerhead shark fish tank, behind which the private shareholder lounges are located. Walking past the sharks you will find the big cocktail lounge area and one of the largest bars in Asia. Past the bar you will enter the dining area where head chef Ian Pengelley (of London’s Gilgamesh fame) will be able to show off his talents in an open kitchen setting. The restaurant will feature Pan Asian Cuisine, a fusion of Chinese, Malay, Thai, Indian and Japanese cuisines.
The place also has a rooftop terrace that will open in April next year. There you can lounge on deck chairs or watch the city below you from a big jacuzzi, in a setting surrounded by palm trees. It certainly seems like a great place to bring business guests or for a summer night party. If it becomes as nice as I imagine it will be, it could be a big hit. This is the kind of high-end place that Shanghai is still lacking, and I look forward to seeing it once it opens!
If you are interested to become a shareholder you can find more information about the application process on M1NT Shanghai’s website.
crap, i will miss the grand opening 🙁
I think the nightlife in shanghai this summer is even better than before, lounge18 is a favourite spot among those on the bund 🙂
I’m not rich enough to be a shareholder (student student… 🙂 ) but this system seems to be VERY interesting, not for the dividend itself but mainly because you can go, with friend to place you partially own.
But what about “usual” people (like me) who want to spend money to pass a great night ? Are we accepted or we need to be shareholder ?
@jean-fran
🙁 well Im a student as well
how much do you have to invest at least? would it be enough with 100000 rmb or am i being silly here
sorry – i don’t understand quite what the point of an operation like this is? so that the members can feel that sense of exclusivity? how about those with great sums of money follow the lead of individuals like buffett and gates and pour their time and money into endeavors that push the world forwards?
the world is filled with enough craving, anger and noise.
it’s evident that even though the wealthy are of the means to learn and lead as true vanguards – they choose not to operate at a higher state of consciousness; electing to strive for ever larger piles of money and more posh lifestyles. you lot are so bankrupt of a profound sense of humanity.
but then again – maybe the founders hope that this place becomes a forum for networking amongst individuals of the Clinton Global Initiative set?
i don’t expect this comment to approved by the blog author.
@shopgirl: RMB 100K would indeed be enough for an investment
@disappointed: No need to apologize for having a different opinion, that’s what comments are for. And of course I publish it, did you really think I would censor my comments when people have a different point of view? Generally, the only comments I do not approve are spam and anonymous hate comments.
With regards to “the point to have an operation like this”, the point is simply that something like this does not exist yet in Shanghai. If all places would be the same we would lead dull lives, don’t you think? I at least like diversity.
And having a place like this is certainly not mutually exclusive with “pouring time and money into endeavors that push the world forwards”. New ideas may even be born here.
Too bad you over-generalize, saying things like “you lot are so bankrupt of a profound sense of humanity”. Seriously, I don’t think I even need to comment on this. You certainly do not seem to know me well. Let’s just say that you have a very one-sided view of the world you live in and that I pity you for that.
By the way, why hide behind a nickname when commenting?
well, i am glad you are open to the airing of all perspectives.
i don’t think “diversity in the nightlife industry” is justification sufficient to warrant an addition of a place like M1NT. i think you miss my general point. and that is – the most people seem to only seek out and highlight how fabulous life in shanghai is. life is not that fabulous for the majority of the citizens of this city/country/world. life is a grand, frustrating struggle for most people.
i think you’re being overly optimistic about the likelihood of M1NT becoming a “think tank” and fountain of great humanitarian efforts and causes.
especially when in the case of M1NT Hong Kong –
“M1NT’s millionaire and billionaire members in Hong Kong raised HK$65,060 for the Sichuan earthquake victims:
http://www.m1ntnews.com/?p=80
Shanghaiist.com ordinary readers raised RMB228,336:
http://shanghaiist.com/2008/05/23/benefit-video.php
clearly the monied elite in this case are profoundly connected to the plight of others.
i am generalizing. i don’t know each individual and their situation personally, but i think there is much truth to this generalization as you see much more activity undertaken for the sake of wealth-accumulation rather than relief and remedy of poverty/suffering. buffett and gates are the exception and not the norm. most of the wealthy are engaged in hoarding, not making altruistic contributions.
one-sided? please explain.
no need to pity me. i feel strongly connected with the world and that means the heights and wonders of art/culture/religion/philosophy and the shocking lows of global poverty/destitution/human apathy/indulgent materialism/conspicuous consumption.
i pity you for thinking that “investing” RMB 100K to belong to an establishment like M1NT is not morally offensive when the world is in such a sad state. especially when you don’t have to travel afar to come into contact with such poverty.
i recently heard of a news piece about a mother treating her son to one mcdonald’s hamburger a month, which is shared b/n the two of them. this was at the mcdonald’s at citic square. it was an american TV program which shed light on this woman’s sad tale. i pity your apathy and blindness to the massive suffering that is pervasive to this city and country.
my true identity is not germane to this topic and your bringing it up is just a tactic to divert attention away from the real points of my post(s).