How many chess sets does an average chess club have?

I'm talking specifically of chess clubs that buy their own chess sets. There's only one other chess club that I know of that have a consistent number of chess sets and that's the local club run by the municipal government. When I looked at board numbers they would consistently average 30 boards.

By a turn of sad events after sad events, my own chess clan that started from this local chess club is being forced to run as an independent chess club on its own. I was told that we won't have to worry about memberships until we have more clubgoers but we are slated to have a permanent location in the future and we already have five triple weighted chess sets to get us started.

That being said, will it be necessary for us to make sure to have as many as 30 chess sets at the ready every month/week? For the time being we are going to be setting the age restriction to minimum 18 so that we don't run into problems with other clubgoers (no alcohol though). How many chess sets is a realistic number? I found a bulk pack of 20 chess sets available on the Chess House website. Will that be enough?

Do your membership numbers give you any indication of how many people will come? Or any numbers on how many people attended in the past? Do you have any way to send an RSVP just to get a ballpark number of potential attendees?

We have a mailing list of around 12-18 people and all of us are regular clubgoers at the other club. The other club typically had around 32 boards each week. The list is expanding pretty fast though.

The members of my club (Middletown Chess club, N.Y.S.) bring their own chess sets and boards , and clocks, to our meetings. Some of our members have a spare set in their cars. How many of your clubmates have their own chess sets? How many do not have chess sets?

My local public library usually has a free chess club; I have found 2 in separate states over the past 20 years. At my old one, I never brought a set, but there were always the cheap plastic Staunton sets paired with vinyl boards on hand. Clocks were brought in by enthusiasts. Depends, I suppose, how casual you like your chess. 
My current library club, as I understand it, had someone write a grant for 5 such sets/boards along with accompanying ZMF tap-n-set clocks. But of course, I have learned to live it up, a bit after seeing various members bring in this and that—wood, ornate, self made, old, etc. Sometimes, those 5 “basic” sets don’t even get used. Just the clocks, with their digital chirps. I have become a disciple of weighted sets, because they feel more real, and who wants to play with knocked over pieces throughout the game?! So that is what I bring and bypass the library standard sets. 

While your 20 bundle of Chess House boards would seem appropriate, I would ask: Who will manage and store those? If they are weighted, ooof…can be heavy. Maybe you can combine effective communication (BYOSets, clocks, etc) but have a few on hand for those that did not get the memo, do not have their own, or simply are passing by? (At this library there are rotating “Hosts” who keep things going, and manage the sets/open and closing.)

The only downsides are: when club is in a windowless basement, limited hours/days, no food and liquid refreshments—but entertaining nonetheless.

Sounds fun, wishing you good luck and happy chess playing!!