Founder opens dialogue about "Sentio Club"

[chris_forza]

As a member of the Oklahoma City community, I wanted to begin a dialogue about a new local city club that I helped co-found.

I and my business partner founded the club 6 mos. ago while having drinks at Cafe Nova. At the time, it was a pipe dream. Today, it is reality.

"Sentio" is latin for "the experience". We wanted a city club didn't revolve around one location or some large estate replete with golf courses and swimming pools.

We, and our members, don't necessarily always want to find recreation at the country club. We want to be out seeing people, enjoying music and art, food and drink, friends and new friends. So, why not treat the whole city as our club?

As of today, Sentio Club consists of a network of 12 local restaurants, bars, night clubs, wine bars, and bistros. Our members carry a heavy gauge stainless steel card, precision engraved with our symbol - a ring that is open but still limited. Just like our club. Membership is limited to the first 1,000 people in our city who join. We will never increase our membership and option to renew will always go to our existing members first.

Some of our venues include Rococo, Bin73, Bricktown Brewery, Picasso Cafe, and Kasier's Bistro.

What do our members enjoy as benefits?

They enjoy premium complimentary items from the finest and most unique establishments in the city. They also enjoy a special off the menu experience that is exclusive to our members. Chef's select or create a rare selection which only our members are allowed to order. It's a subscription to the new, the exciting, the rare, and the experiential.

Speaking of experiential, our club also revolves around three monthly events.

The Club Social is a public networking event held after work at one of our partner venues.

The Club Toast is a private, midnight toast. The details and the location of this event changes monthly and only members are made privy to this information.

The Showcase is also private and features a local musician, artist, or performer each month. Details are private to members.

I just want to open a thread and, as founder of the club, answer anyones questions about how to become a member, where we are headed, or anything, really.

My name is Chris Forza and our website is found at Sentio Club

[diesel]

Sounds a bit uppity to me... Our city does not need this sort of "club".. We are not NYC!

[stlokc]

I actually think this sounds pretty cool and wish the founders and members good luck in the endeavor. If I lived in OKC, I might inquire about joining.

[Rover]

Sounds a bit uppity to me... Our city does not need this sort of "club".. We are not NYC!

So don't join. Go join a non social club in Stroud or Newkirk. Doesn't mean others shouldn't enjoy it.

[kevinpate]

If I came into the city in the evening more often, that would be rather interesting.

[ljbab728]

So don't join. Go join a non social club in Stroud or Newkirk. Doesn't mean others shouldn't enjoy it.

LOL, Rover. The "tongue in cheek" comment went right over your head.

[SoonerDave]

For $45/month? I think ultimately this is simply social "advertising."

[ljbab728]

For $45/month? I think ultimately this is simply social "advertising."

Could be, but if people enjoy it and don't mind the cost, it's a good idea.

[SoonerDave]

Could be, but if people enjoy it and don't mind the cost, it's a good idea.

Oh, absolutely agree, no quibble with that aspect of it, mine was more in the vein of "okay, this is a 'discussion' when really its just a free advertisement."

[ljbab728]

Oh, absolutely agree, no quibble with that aspect of it, mine was more in the vein of "okay, this is a 'discussion' when really its just a free advertisement."

And free advertisements are common with threads on OKC Talk. I have no problem with it.

[Rover]

LOL, Rover. The "tongue in cheek" comment went right over your head.

There was nothing to indicate any sarcasm or tongue in check quality. These are the types of comments posted here all the time.

[ljbab728]

There was nothing to indicate any sarcasm or tongue in check quality. These are the types of comments posted here all the time.

Well, I got it anyway even if you didn't.

[dcsooner]

Sounds a bit uppity to me... Our city does not need this sort of "club".. We are not NYC!

This is EXACTLY what Oklahoma City needs. geez!!

[SoonerDave]

And free advertisements are common with threads on OKC Talk. I have no problem with it.

That's cool. We just differ on that aspect of it. Not my board, so it obviously isn't my call.

[rezman]

So what's the problem? It's not something I would be involved with because I never was big on the social scene, but more power to them. What's the difference in joining this or any other social or country club? It has to take some doing to line up all of the entertainment and venues that they are presenting. If they can pull it off and be sucessfull, good for them.

[Rom]

any chance Ludivine, Martini Lounge/Blvd Steakhouse, or Mahoganies will be added to the list of venues?

[Rom]

if so I'll probably get a memebership

[MadMonk]

Interesting concept, but it seems to me that if were such a desirable, exclusive club, advertising wouldn't be needed (nor encouraged).

[OKCTalker]

Others may benefit from and and enjoy this, but I don't see where I would receive anything substantively more than is already available to me. What am I giving up? $540.00 per year, I'll have to go to places that I prefer not to patronize, hang with a group of people I don't know, and do so on someone else's schedule.

I wish it well and hope it succeeds, but it's not for me.

[IBLEEDRIMSON]

I've been digesting this marketing concept since I noticed an ad in a local food and entertainment magazine. I found it during my weekly combing for leads and local restaurant marketing strategies. I was the lone Oklahoma account executive for a 27 year old restaurant marketing firm based in Chicago called Rewards Network for a few years. Their strategy is to drive a certain demographic of people to certain restaurants. They partner or ran the frequent dining programs for the airlines, Hilton, Holiday Inn, Best Buy, Overstock.com, Shell, etc. Basically Sentio is a more "boutique" or "niche" type of marketing program that also cuts against the current trend of restaurant's devaluing their product and their industry through discounting and couponing. Sentio is a smart and potentially great concept in restaurant marketing. As I look at it from a big picture view with regards to marketing and trends that help restaurants make more profits vs. shrinking margins and booby-trap promotions, I think this is a solid marketing strategy for the restaurant, member and Sentio and I also love that it's an OK company. I have seen and sold a lot of restaurant marketing programs and Oklahoma could benefit if we had a Groupon-like company. I say Groupon-like as in popularity within the restaurant marketing space but Sentio is the anti Groupon when it comes to being restaurant friendly. Just my .02 but I'd love to meet the people behind this.