Interview: Magnises' Martin Howell On The Black Card For The Newest Generation Of Big Spenders

This week, we had the special opportunity to visit the Magnises West Village townhouse for their weekly happy hour. Sipping on a refreshing Moscow Mule, we were given a tour of the two-story sanctuary, with beautifully decorated rooms for entertaining, meetings and lounging. The walls were filled with contemporary art, from Picasso to Leger, on a rotating system in which galleries lend pieces to Magnises to put on display. Magnises, the new black card catering primarily to young adults, is starting to create a real buzz in New York. The card promises exclusive deals, hotel upgrades, last-minute reservations at New York’s hippest restaurants and more. Magnises currently has around 1,500 members, with a 15-20% acceptance rate. Just this past December, they were receiving a couple of applications a week, but that number has drastically increased to over 100 per day. Founder Billy McFarland hopes to be receiving 1,000 a day soon. Currently, the company is based in and focused on New York, with plans for expansion in years to come. Click through to find out more about this cool New York start-up from a company insider, Martin Howell.