Dan Conlin has been praying more lately.
“As it is, I have nothing left,” said Conlin, owner of Jukebox Comedy Club, 3527 W. Farmington Road.
The famed venue is closed for the second time this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, and with thousands of dollars of bills due each month and no laughs to cover the cost, the Peoria staple might not make it past this round of regulations.
Jukebox Comedy Club opened in 1990, and would have celebrated its 30th anniversary on Nov. 12 had the club stayed open. Instead of reveling in a sold-out room for a performance by “Saturday Night Live” alumnus Chris Kattan, Conlin was alone, marking the day in a way he did not see coming.
“I celebrated with a frozen pepperoni Butch’s pizza and a Mountain Dew,” said Conlin. “It just seems surreal to be in this situation.”
Despite the financial woes Jukebox is facing, Conlin has friends and family members who are high-risk and feels he is doing the right thing in closing his doors—something he said most of the nearby bars and restaurants are not in agreement on, along with a number of community members.
In a Nov. 1 Facebook post, Conlin asked the community for support in any way it could offer it. Many commenters pushed for the club to stay open and ignore state regulations, some even offering connections to lawyers who could defend him—but he stood his ground.
“It’s hard to do the right thing and still survive,” said Conlin. “It almost makes you feel like it's the wrong thing. It feels like there’s no help.”
Conlin received assistance via the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), but said the provided amount was not nearly enough to cover expenses after being closed for multiple months. He also has applied for a variety of grants, but to no avail. Now, he has come to what he feels is a last resort: a GoFundMe page.
Even then, Jukebox’s official reopening date will depend on a combination of available funds and COVID-19 restrictions.
“I’m going to need to start a GoFundMe, and it’s going to have to be successful,” said Conlin. “If the GoFundMe raises enough money for me to pay my bills for the next few months, then hopefully, we can plan to reopen in April or May.”
Local comedians are especially hoping Jukebox is able to open its doors once again, and Conlin knows how important they are to the success of the club.
“The local comedy scene is the heart and soul of this club,” said Conlin. “Seeing comics go from being scared to death their first time...to doing really well is the lifeblood of a good comedy club.”
Local comedy mainstay Trey Mowder has not performed at the club since March, but to him, Conlin and the Jukebox staff are like family. Mowder credits the 225-seat venue for giving him a positive base from which to launch his comedy career that began in 2008. His work in Peoria led to an opportunity to run a show in Chicago and take classes at The Second City, Chicago’s “Saturday Night Live” pipeline.
“(Jukebox) is an amazing place to learn to do comedy,” said Mowder. “We’re so spoiled. If the club wasn’t there anymore, it would be a huge blow to so many comedians.”
As for his experience as a newcomer in Peoria’s comedy arena, Mowder cannot stress enough how important Conlin was in helping him refine his craft.
“It’s hard to put into words what Dan means to the comedy scene around here,” said Mowder. “He loves comedy more than anybody I’ve ever met.”
Between the upcoming GoFundMe, a few gift certificates being sold, and a bake sale outside the club, Conlin is hoping Jukebox will be able to pull through until reopening is possible.
“It’s painful to have something I’ve been so proud of for so long potentially fizzle away,” said Conlin. “I made a choice, and I have to live with my choice now, but I sure don’t want it to be the end of the club.”
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