The original Punch Line Comedy Club Restaurant & Bar in San Francisco. Photo: Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images
Our comedy scene is about to get even funnier. Punch Line Comedy Club will open an Irving location this year.
Why it matters: Punch Line San Francisco hosted Robin Williams, Ellen DeGeneres, Drew Carey, Ali Wong and John Mulaney in their early days as comedians.
Club operators want Punch Line Dallas to be a "home" for up-and-coming talent.
State of laughter: The initial lineup includes Beth Stelling, who has done several standup specials; Gina Brillon, the first Latina finalist on "America's Got Talent" and Aaron Branch, an actor on the Netflix show "Unstable."
"It's not always about the biggest names in comedy. It's about figuring out who the stars of tomorrow are today, and we get to play a really important role in that," Amanda Kyser, Punch Line's head of comedy operations, tells Axios.
Zoom out: Punch Line's San Francisco location has been open since 1978.
Dave Chappelle and Houston native Mohammed Amer performed at Punch Line Houston's opening last year. The chain also has clubs in Philadelphia and Sacramento.
Dave Chappelle (right) rallied in 2019 to keep Punch Line San Francisco from closing. Photo: Paul Chinn/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
Zoom in: Punch Line Dallas will be located near Toyota Music Factory. The 240-seat venue includes a patio where people can hang out before shows.
The club will have a two-beverage minimum — common for comedy venues. Visitors can also get food and mocktails.
What they're saying: "Punch Line Dallas is a really good opportunity for fans to have more access to comedy and for comics to have more stage time," Kyser tells Axios.
What's next: The first show will be Dec. 20.
Presale is Sept. 23 on the club's website. General ticket sales begin Sept. 25.