Goonie’s Comedy Club in Rochester, Minnesota has officially announced it will not be reopening this fall, effectively marking the end of its run as a beloved local entertainment venue.
Owners Mark and Jasmine Klampe stated they were unable to reach an agreement with their landlord on new lease terms, leading to the decision to close. They also highlighted broader financial challenges, saying that “rising costs are no joke” and that they could no longer maintain the balance between providing quality entertainment and keeping it affordable.
The club was approaching its 20th anniversary before closing.
For almost 20 years, Goonie’s served as a staple of the live comedy scene in southeastern Minnesota, offering a stage to both local up-and-comers and national headliners like Hannibal Buress, Doug Stanhope, and Dusty Slay. Especially known for supporting Minnesota comics seeking stage time, the club fostered a close-knit comedy community.
Over the past couple of years, stand-up comedy entertainment has seen record highs in touring revenue all across the nation and unimaginable lows, with ticket revenue for comedy clubs and smaller venues down 30%, the lowest since before the global pandemic.
In the last five years, iconic comedy staples such as Uptown Comedy Corner, Caroline’s Comedy Club, and Chuckles Comedy Club have been forced to close their doors due in large part to low attendance revenue.
