I have joined many social-business networking clubs in the Chicago area. Unfortunately, all of them have left me wanting more. They are either way too stodgy and formal or not really enjoyable and nothing but excuses to drink. All I want from a club is a place where I can have fun while expanding my business network. All I want is something like 505.

It all started in 2005 in Lancaster, Penn., when Pete Ruggieri and some friends would meet on Wednesdays after work to blow off steam and exchange ideas. Capitalizing on the idea that nobody specialized in hospitality, 505 jumped in that niche. As it became more popular, they started a Web site and a weekly newsletter to keep people informed on where they would be.

As interest continued to grow, they added pages on MySpace and Facebook. Advertisers jumped on board. The newsletter subscriber base continued to grow, eventually reaching over 3,000.

Ruggieri states that the concept is “just have fun.”

“Other networking organizations are so concerned with titles, collecting dues and doing service projects that nobody has fun,” states Ruggieri. By facilitating interactions, 505’s goal is to let relationships develop naturally.

They look at 505 as a sort of fraternity. The concept being “if you were in a foreign city on a Wednesday, you could find a ‘friendly’ bar where a 505 meeting was being held,” said Ruggieri. This could lead to new contacts and possibly new business. Minimally, it would make it more comfortable for a person in a strange town on business.

Unfortunately, chapters in Myrtle Beach, SC and Dallas, TX did not survive, mostly due to a lack of consistently good leadership in those cities. While 505 is about fun, “you need a motivated person who really just enjoys being a people person,” according to Ruggieri. Even fun needs to have a driving force behind it to keep it all together.

Ruggieri’s only regret is when they tried to make 505 more professional and it lost steam. They rededicated themselves to make 505 fun again and got back on track.

My biggest question was whether 505 could be a full-time gig for Ruggieri. The answer is yes, possibly. Ruggieri admits that he has a hard time selling his product at the high rates (not that the advertisers wouldn’t pay them).

There is a great underlying theme with 505. They take themselves just seriously enough. They know that the right amount of “shenanigans” draws a good crowd. Once the crowd is assembled, nature takes its course, and while good times are being had, contacts are being made, contacts which are later recalled for business needs.

So what does the future hold for 505? Ruggieri thinks that “505 will become an underground cult phenomenon . . . the soft white underbelly of the urban landscape.” Even if it doesn’t, Ruggieri will still be meeting his friends every Wednesday at 5:05, just like when it all started.

-John Wroblewski, distribution specialist