Abercrombie & Kent to Raise Prices?

In an encouraging bright spot for the industry -- though not necessarily for prospective members -- Abercrombie & Kent is set on boosting its initial deposit requirements for membership by $10,000 to $23,000 next month.

The move still prices membership plans well below their original peak prices.

Let's hope the industry isn't repeating mistakes of its past. During the growth days of the industry, clubs routinely inched their initiation prices higher. It was a productive tactic in smoking out those straddling the fence in terms of ownership. It led to a bubble that came crashing down when the real estate market itself cratered.

The upside here is that even if this is a way to prompt interested leads into joining before the deadline, one would assume that there are enough destination club tire kickers sniffing around A&K to prompt the club to go through with the slight increase.