People in business just don't do that anymore. Drinking at lunch has dropped off. Younger members are more health conscious, Shell said, and more apt to have a working lunch at their desk. Meanwhile, some yacht clubs and country clubs are struggling as well. At the Waikiki Yacht Club, membership has dropped in the past five years from about 1,500 to the current 1,000.
Businesses are down, cash flow is down.
The downturn comes in the midst of protracted lease negotiations between the yacht club and its landlord, the state of Hawaii. The Ala Wai Yacht Club across the harbor is facing similar lease renewal, as is Mid Pacific Country Club in Kailua. Paying about a third of regular initiation fees and half the monthly dues, associate members have access to most of the club's amenities, except moorings, parking, and credit accounts. Meanwhile, the Waikiki Yacht Club is adjusting to declining usage of its galley restaurant, once open six days a week. At the prestigious Oahu Country Club, membership is said to be dwindling and waiting lists have vanished.