By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
The Royal Esquire Club, founded in 1947, is a private African American men’s club created as a welcoming space where Black men could gather, socialize, and strategize about their futures and the well-being of their community. A year after its founding, the club held its first general assembly and elected officers. Since then, for more than 75 years, its members have continued to find ways to uplift and serve Seattle’s Black community.
The club’s mission has always centered on enhancing the Black community. It has fed the homeless, provided scholarships to youth, and offered a safe space for civic engagement and connection. Fully owned by its members and paid off in perpetuity, the Royal Esquire Club stands as both a sanctuary and a hub for cultural pride, fellowship, and service.
Over the years, the club has undergone several renovations to keep its facilities modern and welcoming. It is now in the process of updating its kitchen and preparing to reintroduce its signature food service.
“We’ve always had a restaurant until we started remodeling. We’ve been going through the permit process, and it’s taking a long time, but I guess that’s the way of the world,” said Roberto Jourdan, president of The Royal Esquire Club. “The food will be back up so come to the Esquire Club, we want to treat you like kings and queens.”
The club also operates the Royal Esquire Scholarship Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports local youth by helping them attend the colleges of their choice. Jourdan said the fund is central to the club’s role in the community and depends on events and rentals to remain sustainable.
“Main thing is that we want to keep that building. We own it free and clear, but we have to keep it in top shape and make sure it’s nice for the community,” Jourdan said. “Whether it be for parties, repasses, wedding receptions, whatever you have. While we’re there trying to get functions and raise money so community members can utilize our scholarship fund.”
The club’s venue also serves as an affordable and safe space for community gatherings, offering an alternative to the rising costs of other event spaces.
“Other community organizations have some stuff that they want to do and events that they want to hold so they can do it there rather than paying stupid crazy prices that other venues or hotels may charge,” Jourdan said. “And being safe, and that’s our main thing is having ladies and men come there and be safe. The community respects the Royal Esquire Club, and we haven’t, knock on wood, had any problem while we’ve been there.”
Marlon Turner, chairman of the board for the Royal Esquire Club, said the club has long provided a home for Seattle’s Black community.
“I think the Royal Esquire Club provides an opportunity for us to have access to a space that truly treats our community like family and being in Seattle, we have a really small Black population, so it becomes a space for all things community,” Turner said. “Whether it be a celebration of life, birthday parties, or community engagement activities, I always say, ‘welcome home.’”
“When people walk through those doors because we thrive on treating each other like family in that space and there’s not many spaces that can say that they do that, and that are Black-owned in the middle of Columbia City,” Turner continued.
In recent years, the club has seen an influx of younger members, which both Jourdan and Turner say has brought new energy and optimism for the future.
“We need to have a succession plan so that the Esquire Club stays around for perpetuity,” Jourdan said. “It’s here for the community from now until the end of time or as long as the building is standing, and so for younger folks to be interested in it is really an enlightening thing where they come in, see what the place looks like, hear what we’re saying, and evidently, they like it. We are liking what they’re saying and they’re listening to what we’re saying and I think that they’re in line with what we’re trying to do.”
Turner said the club made a deliberate effort to recruit younger members in its most recent membership drive.
“There was a real dialed-in effort to target new membership in our last group to get younger,” Turner said. “There’s a wealth of talent in Seattle from people that have moved here for tech jobs to people that have lived here all their lives and just reintroducing them to the Royal Esquire Club was a huge focus for us with this new group.”
Jourdan said the 39 new members range in age from their mid-20s to around 40, with an average age of 35.
“The new members span between ages twenty-five and forty, with an average of thirty-five. There are some very young and some middle young,” Jourdan said. “They are also diverse in their professions. We have a good core group of young Black professionals.”
Turner said this new group’s variety of backgrounds has strengthened the club.
“There’s a wide range of talent. I think one of our youngest members is in his late twenties. Bridging the gap between some of our older members and that new crop of people that we want to eventually take over and continue the legacy was really important,” Turner said. “We have people in government, state and county roles, education, and entrepreneurs running organizations focused on youth development and empowerment. It’s a wide range of talent we’re tapping into.”
Jourdan said this rejuvenation reinforces the club’s importance not just as a gathering place but as a lasting anchor for Seattle’s Black community.
“A Black presence is so important in Seattle, and we want to make sure we don’t go anywhere. Gentrification has already pushed out businesses and made it hard to live in areas that were traditionally ours,” Jourdan said. “There isn’t that Black community in Seattle compared to other places this size or larger. For us, we’re small—what, 7% now, I think for the Seattle area—and so we just want to make sure to still have a place and a presence.”
