February 19, 2007
Jokers Comedy Club
Moves to Cedar Falls Main Street
Cedar Falls – Darin Beck and Barmuda are
pleased to announce that Jokers Comedy Club, which has been in Black Hawk Village
since 1994, will be moving to Main Street in early summer. On February 12, the
Cedar Falls City Council approved the transfer of JokersÕ liquor license to 401
Main Street, where the club will occupy the entire third floor of the Odd
Fellows building.
The
Independent Order of Odd Fellows built the grand hall in 1902, and in 1997, the
building was accepted onto the National Register of Historic Places.[1]
Ben Stroh purchased the building in 2006 and approached Beck about restoring
the grand ballroom that once occupied the third floor into something
spectacular. Together Stroh and Beck decided that it would make a perfect new
home for Jokers.
Stroh will own the
building and Beck will rent the new space for his Jokers operation. JokersÕ
lease agreement includes the entire third floor and a portion of the buildingÕs
ground level. The box office and entrance will be street-level, and guests will
take an elevator to the upper-level nightclub.
The multi-million dollar
renovation project is currently underway, and will result in the showcasing of
a space that has been dormant for more than 30 years. The original windows and
brick will be fully restored, and 18-foot ceilings and a mezzanine will accent
the grandeur of the space. The stage and dance floor will overlook Main Street.
Ben
DeJong, who is overseeing the buildingÕs development for StrohÕs Sky View LLC,
says the company is excited to be working with Beck on this project. ÒWeÕre
happy to have a good, solid tenant on the third floor that we know everyone
will enjoy,Ó DeJong says. ÒThis will bring an entertainment option to Main
Street that it currently lacks.Ó
Jokers
opened in its current location in July of 1994. After 13 years of entertaining
the Cedar Valley, Beck felt it was time to breathe new life into Jokers. ÒWe
wanted to move our comedy club closer to dining options, and Main Street has
become a destination-oriented cultural district,Ó Beck says. ÒThe addition of a
comedy club and dance club will complement an already great thing happening on
Main Street.Ó
Jokers
will continue to present
nationally touring top comedians every weekend along with special event
big-name acts. It will also continue to offer late night dancing and other
entertainment options all week long, and will still feature a live DJ after
comedy on weekends. The new space will be approximately equal in size to the
current space – about 5,400 sq. ft. – but seating capacity for
comedy will increase to about 225 and allow more guests to sit closer to the stage.
The
new Jokers will maintain current management and staff. BarmudaÕs Nightclub
Operations Director, Justin Buck, will oversee the clubÕs operations. General
Manager Quint Howell says Jokers will continue to offer a great nightlife
experience, but will focus more on entertainment and comedy. ÒThis is exciting
because weÕre moving to an area that is growing every day, and doing it with a
unique, energetic and entertaining concept that Barmuda has been known for.Ó
Beck
hopes to have the new Jokers open in time for Cedar FallsÕ annual Sturgis Falls
celebration on June 22, but the construction timeline will ultimately determine
when opening will be possible. Plans are already underway to bring in a
big-name comedian for a grand opening show in July.
Beck
intends to make announcements regarding plans for the existing Jokers location
in the coming months. ÒRight now weÕre focused on making the new Jokers the
most spectacular entertainment venue the Cedar Valley has ever had,Ó Beck says. ÒPlans for the old location are still
being discussed.Ó