“It’s the common man’s replacement for The Battery,” said Douglas Dunlap, on a recent Tuesday afternoon at Shack15, his first visit thanks to a guest pass. He was referring to the Jackson Square members club which costs $2,800 a year for a standard membership, plus a $1,000 initiation fee. (It also requires a nomination from a current member.)

“It’s a great place for little startups to have an impressive meetup site that grants credibility,” said Dunlap, a San Francisco native who splits his time between Austin and Redwood City. “Before, The Battery was the meet-up spot for tech. Now, The Battery is getting old.” 

The Battery’s director of membership, Thomas Kennedy, said he’s happy to see Shack15’s success because it means more people will be drawn downtown. “Over the last 10 years, we’ve found that there’s space for everyone in community-building in the city that’s given us so much,” he said.