Behind an unmarked door on East Main Street in downtown Rochester, a staircase leads down into a lit 3,000-square-foot space. Half of the room is a stocked bar; the other half is a dining area. Welcome to Exclusively Members Only (EMO), a membership-based social club opened by three Black millennial women. And while the historic space needed some sprucing up, the trio saw something special, something exclusive.
“We saw a diamond in the rough,” said co-owner Janelle Holmes.
EMO, which is currently open Thursday through Sunday, was opened in September by Holmes, her sister Jahnae Holmes, and their childhood friend, Charmaine Walker. All three owners have backgrounds and skillsets that mesh into the perfect partnership.
“This is a family business more than anything,” said Janelle. “It’s beyond a group chat (with friends). This is family.”
They envisioned a place where young professionals and influencers who are serious about growing both their network and net worth could come together to let their hair down and problems go. EMO is meant to be a place where community, culture and connection meet.
“It’s intentional, it’s safe, it’s diverse, it’s a secret — and that’s something that we don’t want to bend on,” said Janelle. “That’s very important to our mission.”
To join EMO, potential members must fill out an application, then the trio does a thorough vetting of the applicant to ensure they are a good fit for the vibe being curated. Single membership packages range from bronze to gold; and there’s a couples’ package and a corporate membership for businesses and organizations. Some of EMO’s events are members only and some are open to the public, but they’re all member-led.
“We want people to come here and connect with others and continue to grow,” Walker said. “We still want to meet people and make those connections and take our businesses, and even EMO specifically, to the next level.”
Janelle, who is also a certified psychiatrist and a trained chef, is EMO’s lead cook and handles the club’s communications and marketing. Her sister, Jahnae, is a mixologist and manages the bar. And Walker, a graduate of the inaugural Golisano Business Institute class, takes care of the finances and will sometimes fulfill culinary requests.
“If we were going to sacrifice our time, our energy and we were going to invest in something, it needed to be something that would guarantee a return,” Walker said.
The dining menu ranges from braised lamb chops to Southern-style catfish, which can be paired with soulful sides like collard greens and candied yams or something more “around the way” like french fries. Seafood lovers can enjoy lobster mac and cheese, fried calamari or even a tray of mussels.
Jahnae Holmes left her life in Syracuse to help her sister’s vision become a reality. By day she is a schoolteacher, but at EMO her creativity goes beyond asking, “vodka or gin?”
“Cocktails are chemistry, but bartending is connection,” Jahnae said. “I’m here for both — the science, the soul and the memorable experience.”
The taste of Jahnae’s cocktails is further complemented by the beauty of each drink: colors, garnishes, mixology — all designed for the members to enjoy each sip.
Everything at EMO is detailed, Janelle said, from the food and drink menus to the color scheme of the interior.
“Everything is intentional for welcoming, for warmth, for community,” said Janelle. “We want you to eat, we want you to drink. But we also want this to be an experience for you.”
The vision for EMO is clear to its founders.
“We will be able to feed the community,” said Janelle. “We’ll be able to give back. We will be able to create connections inside a room full of people who all have great ideas.” emorochester.com
