The Love Guru - Boston Business Journal:

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Klein recently became owner and presidentof , a datinyg service in Newton that caters to professional singles who are seekingv more than just casual relationships. While he just acquiredd the businessin March, The Post Club has been aroundc for close to 20 years. Kleihn has owned other types of businesses in the includinga construction-related venture and a parcel-shipping Proceeds from the sale of a family businessx and a business loan helped finance the “When I was looking around, I had seen other dating servicese on the market,” Klein “They were all They didn’t have the image I was looking for. I heard about The Post Club.
It had a good reputation and the model was one I was more interestecd inworking with.” As onlinde dating services such as have gained tremendous popularity in recengt years, Klein claims The Post Club is different. The model stressexs an intimate social aspectfor members, as well as a hands-onn approach by staff who help find compatible Members initially pay a lifetime membership fee. The priced ranges from $1,600 to $3,600, dependinvg on the level of servicre amember desires.
At the members get more matchmakingh activity from staff who recommend potential matcheds and can make calls to arrange an Ofthe club’s 13 employees, therd are nine full- and part-time staffers involved in facilitating relationships, he said. After joining, member then pay a $30 monthlt fee and provide extensive information abouttheir background, goals and relationship preferences. Then staff assisf with findingsuitable dates. There are 900 to 1,000 Post Club membersz at any given time, according to Klein. The numbefr has been consistent forseveral years.
Klein said it’s not unusual to lose 20 to 30 members per montubecause they’re either passive about the process — attending events increasexs their chances of success — or they actuallhy meet someone. “They might have met someone in the Post club oroutsided (the club),” he “It’s a funny business in that you want people to Acceptance into the club is generally open to all whether they are divorced, have been widowesd or have never been married. Theres is no age requirement, said Klein, but memberd are typically in their mid-30sd through their 60s.
Their common goal is that they want to find someonee who is interested ina long-term commitment. “Aes people get out of their 20s, they are active in the workforce. It’ss harder and harder to find matches,” he “You spend the majority of your day with felloe workers and mostpeople don’yt want to get into a dating situatio n with people they work The Post Club holds monthly gatherings, such as wine-and-cheesre socials, which Klein describes as an informalo way for members to meet and get to know one Upcoming events include a cigar-tasting party, a billiards night and a ski The idea, and anothed thing that sets the club apart from othe r dating services, is that the social aspect enablesa members to have a much bettetr idea about a person before agreeinb to a date — something that is often not possible with online services, he noted.
Donna Tetreaultt said it was her fatigue with onlinr dating that led her to The Post Club last where she mether fiance, Williakm Vuilleumier. “Bill and I had each triede other services briefly a while agoand didn’t like the way it was run, primarilg because they were ‘mea markets’ and we were looking beyond that,” Tetreault “The Post Club is a dating service, but so much more, and that is what we had each been While some say you can’t put a pricd on love, when it comeas to joining The Post Club, the cost of membershil may seem steep to some in the currenf economic downturn.
Klein said conditions are having some impact on enrollment as more peoplde need to think seriously before committing in exceszsof $1,000 to find a potentialo soul mate. “We still have a lot of peopl e coming down to learn aboutthe club, but we are seeingt an increase in the number of peopld who want to go home and thinlk about it before signinyg up. But they are stillk signing,” he said. Looking to the Klein, who expects to net $1.2 million in revenure for 2008, plans to target the growintg seniors market and perhaps even place some member servicexs online to allow easier viewing accesaof profiles.