“We started with only one show a month to get it off the ground, and now we have four to five shows a month,” he said.
Typically, Saturday shows at Bricky’s include three or four performers, including touring comedians from different parts of the country. Audience turnout for these shows has been steady despite having a few lulls.
“We have our normal ebbs and flows,” Ruppert admitted. “The summer is slower for comedy in general, so a few shows were down. Otherwise, we’ve had really strong turnouts.”
Every other Friday, the club offers an open mic, which began in March. Ruppert said getting the open mic up and running was a major milestone and it’s also advantageous for local comedians.
“The mic has been able to provide opportunities for new comics to create a pipeline or farm system so new comics can move up and get better,” he said.
Ruppert cites the strong partnership with Star City Brewing as a major contribution to Bricky’s success. The club sits within the brewery in a rustic room. Patrons of the club can get drinks at the bar and the partnership has been mutually beneficial.
“They’re always expanding drink options and responding to customer feedback,” he said. “I would say that without them this whole thing wouldn’t be possible.”
It’s been a successful year overall, but Ruppert noted a couple of hiccups. The website crashed, one show was canceled due to comedians being sick, and there was one instance of someone on the internet creating fake accounts and leaving negative reviews. However, Ruppert said with the help of the brewery and the comedy community, everything turned out OK.
“That (internet attack) actually resulted in more support for Bricky’s, so it backfired,” he said. “I was impressed that someone felt threatened enough by Bricky’s to attack it. But in a general business sense, there are a lot of moving parts, and managing and coordinating those can be a lot.”
To celebrate, Bricky’s will have two anniversary shows on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Ruppert will headline. Local comedians Jerrel Beamon and Kyle Rogers will host. Tickets are $15. Ruppert said the anniversary party is just one thing he is looking forward to in Bricky’s future.
“I’m going to be announcing some exciting new things that we’re doing for the rest of the year,” he said. “We’re going to take on some big challenges, and I think it will be really exciting. I’d like to continue to grow Bricky’s as much as possible.”
Bricky’s Comedy Club is located in Star City Brewing at 319 S. Second St. in Miamisburg. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.brickyscomedy.com.
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