This piece has been updated since it first appeared in print.
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Three local comedians talk shop during a break outside the Sandman comedy club. (Photo by Jay Paul)
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Club owners Carrie and Michael Sands (Photo courtesy Michael Sands)
Carrie and Michael Sands know that laughter is the best medicine, and they want their new comedy club, Sandman, to be Richmond’s pharmacy.
The couple moved to Richmond from Madison, Wisconsin, in 2019, wanting to “get out of the snow” and open up a business. After considering a few different options, they settled on a comedy club.
“We love stand-up comedy,” Carrie says. In fact, a night out at a local comedy club was her first date with her now-husband. But the path to opening the 401 E. Grace St. venue was riddled with obstacles, including the coronavirus pandemic.
“We got our keys in January [2020],” Carrie says. “When we just started renovations, COVID hit. That slowed everything down.” They also faced evolving state restrictions on indoor gatherings that moved back their opening date several times. But the couple continued, undeterred, doing all the painting and basic construction themselves.
“I went from dental assistant to demo and construction,” Carrie says, adding with a chuckle, “We’ve got blood, sweat and tears in this building — literally.”
Unique features of the club include the building’s original bank vaults from 1948 and its obstruction-free views, which took hours of additional construction work to create.
The delays from evolving COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines gave the couple more time to consider each part of their club.
“We tried to think of everything from the perspective of a guest,” Michael says, such as when they added speakers to the bathrooms to make sure that guests wouldn’t miss a second of the show.
Affordability is also a key concern. “I want people to be able to come here and have a great night out for $75 or $80,” Michael says. “I don’t want people to have to drop a couple hundred bucks on the tickets and some food.”
Sandman’s early weekends have gone well, and the couple hopes that the crowds will grow as buzz about the club spreads.
“When they get here, they love it,” Michael says. “I think there’s still some apprehension about going out to events like this with the general public.”
“After COVID, I’m extremely excited to be able to get people to come out and laugh safely,” says Carrie. The club follows safety guidelines, including masked staff, socially distanced seating and sterilization of shared surfaces, and guests are required to wear masks when not at their table.
Comics scheduled to appear at Sandman this month include Adam Ray and Shane Gillis. Then, June 24-26, the club will host Julia Scotti, a former contestant on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” who worked as a stand-up comedian for 35 years before transitioning to female. A documentary about her journey, “Funny That Way,” debuted June 1.
“We’re excited to have her here right after her documentary is released,” Michael says.
The Sandses are connecting with the Richmond comedy community as well. They use local comedians as emcees for their shows.
“The local comic scene has taken us in, and the city has as well,” Michael says. “Richmond already feels like home.”
