Comedian Mike Epps to open comedy club in old Punch Bowl Social space

Mike Epps to open One Mike comedy club in downtown Detroit's old Punch Bowl Social space

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One Mike, a comedy and music club, will open at 1331 Broadway Street in Detroit, a $1.5 million property that was formerly home to Punch Bowl Social, said two people familiar with the project. Punch Bowl Social, a national bar-and-bowling chain, permanently closed the Detroit location during the COVID-19 pandemic.A version of the One Mike webpage, cached by Google on Nov. 4, includes the line: “Whether you seek big laughs, spoken word, gospel, jazz or cool rhythm & blues, One Mike will have everything you need!” The promotional copy also vows “a fresh, delectable dining experience.”
The venue has quietly set up social media accounts in recent weeks, with pages at Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
“One Mike Comedy club opening soon in Detroit,” reads a tagline on the Instagram account.

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Mike Epps to open One Mike comedy club in downtown Detroit [[freep.com)

It takes a lot of young people living or hanging around a downtown to keep a comedy club afloat.

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Originally Posted by 401don

It takes a lot of young people living or hanging around a downtown to keep a comedy club afloat.

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They're there. Every time I'm down there I see plenty of them. It should do well.

I would not be surprised if Mike Epos name would be on this business or this club for a half a year then his name is taken off as part owner. This is probably the same bait and switch that allegedly had been done with the IHop on Jefferson. Anita Baker's name was used to make people think that she was owner of the restaurant but it was her husband and probably others who were the owners using Anita's name as a draw. A few years later her name was no longer affiliated with the worse operated IHop in Michigan

Word on the street: Epps not THAT funny as a stand-up [better as a comedic actor]. And I like him. His comic range limited albeit funny the few times I've heard him on stage but not enduring like say Pryor, or even some of contemporary comics/ satirist such as Chappell. He has to KNOW that Detroit [emphasizing DETROIT - ensure that I am not going outside format] can be a very hard crowd to please. Especially if your box of goods is shallow.

I hope this doesn't work out like another high-priced bad soul-food restaurant selling trash food only palatable to those not familiar with the cuisine. We already have a few of those in Detroit now.

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Originally Posted by Zacha341

I hope this doesn't work out like another high-priced bad soul-food restaurant selling trash food that is only palatable to those not family with the cuisine. We already have a few of those in Detroit now.

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Can you name these restaurants with bad soul food?

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Originally Posted by Zacha341

but not enduring like say Pryor, or even some of contemporary comics/ satirist such as Chappell.

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Don't forget Dolemite!

Joe Louis Southern Kitchen [in Detroit] on Woodward is one the latest to bomb out IMO - it started out good and went down.

Great idea - poor execution from long waiting times, reservations not honored, front of the house disorganization to the inability to push out basics like fried wings and waffles!

Specifics: Quality controls poor - underwhelming food at core levels you don't have to be a foody to notice. Too salty or too bland coupled with a disinterested management whatever the problem is.

They are playing with fire [pardon the pun] as you can get far better at some grocery store hot-table sections!

It may have been the COVID that factored in. Original chefs may have moved on when it sat closed. Owners shifted. Really sad actually.

We're never returning.

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Originally Posted by masterblaster

Can you name these restaurants with bad soul food?

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Originally Posted by Zacha341

Joe Louis Southern Kitchen [in Detroit] on Woodward is one the latest to bomb out IMO - it started out good and went down.

Great idea - poor execution from long waiting times, reservations not honored, front of the house disorganization to the inability to push out basics like fried wings and waffles!

Specifics: Quality controls poor - underwhelming food at core levels you don't have to be a foody to notice. Too salty or too bland coupled with a disinterested management whatever the problem is.

They are playing with fire [pardon the pun] as you can get far better at some grocery store hot-table sections!

It may have been the COVID that factored in. Original chefs may have moved on when it sat closed. Owners shifted. Really sad actually.

We're never returning.

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Off topic but wasn't that place born out of New Center Eatery? I went there once and got their "Famous" chicken and waffles, never went back...

On topic, I have little doubt this new comedy club will be out of business, or on the brink of it this time next year. Comedy as an art form is in trouble in the age of wokeism, plus I don't think the downtown crowd is, by and large, the kind to see a comedian like Epps on a Friday after work.

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Originally Posted by K-slice

Off topic but wasn't that place born out of New Center Eatery? I went there once and got their "Famous" chicken and waffles, never went back...

On topic, I have little doubt this new comedy club will be out of business, or on the brink of it this time next year. Comedy as an art form is in trouble in the age of wokeism, plus I don't think the downtown crowd is, by and large, the kind to see a comedian like Epps on a Friday after work.

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I had never stated that the club would be out of business by the summer of next year. I stated that Mike Epps name will probably be not connected with the club by summer or this time next year. The club will still be there and people will still attend thinking that it is still Mike Epp’s club eventhough his name probably be taken off much earlier. I think that he is aware of the deal or he is not aware of being used to draw people and will later leave or possibly be drop due to a disagreement or something planned get him out

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Originally Posted by K-slice

Off topic but wasn't that place born out of New Center Eatery? I went there once and got their "Famous" chicken and waffles, never went back...

On topic, I have little doubt this new comedy club will be out of business, or on the brink of it this time next year. Comedy as an art form is in trouble in the age of wokeism, plus I don't think the downtown crowd is, by and large, the kind to see a comedian like Epps on a Friday after work.

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As far as the Joe Louis Restaurant; the idea is probably to put more black owned businesses on that strip of Woodward from Grand Blvd to Milwaukee. I don’t mind having a African American owned business on the strip such as on the so called Avenue of Fashion. However are inexperienced people given grants to open businesses while national chains or good reputable restaurants or retail are being shut out or those that are on the strip are having trouble with burglary or being taxed or priced out? I believe that there should be mixed cultured retail or restaurants on that strip owned by entrepreneurs whom are seasoned and know what they are doing and run a business

Yeah NCE went down very hard. Cold food, surely attitudes, over-priced, no credit or debit cards allowed etc. the last year of operation. Ridiculous for foods many can cook far better at home!

Some Detroit restaurants, etc. have forgotten that the chains are advantaged not because their food is better or distinct. Rather, they have better STAYING POWER [ex. during COVID they received more federal support]. Food-service has always been risky-especially now.

I find it incredible the poor business practices/ food offerings in that context.

With review options at nearly everyone's finger-tips.

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Originally Posted by K-slice

Off topic but wasn't that place born out of New Center Eatery? I went there once and got their "Famous" chicken and waffles, never went back...

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Originally Posted by stasu1213

I had never stated that the club would be out of business by the summer of next year. I stated that Mike Epps name will probably be not connected with the club by summer or this time next year. The club will still be there and people will still attend thinking that it is still Mike Epp’s club eventhough his name probably be taken off much earlier. I think that he is aware of the deal or he is not aware of being used to draw people and will later leave or possibly be drop due to a disagreement or something planned get him out

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I never stated that you sated they would be out of business, that's my opinion so don't try and steal it! Seriously though, I agree that his name could disappear from the establishment, the same way a major hotel chain will pull their branding from an underperforming property. No one who's successful wants to be tied to failure.

I just don't see there being demand for this place to keep up and running long term.

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Originally Posted by K-slice

I just don't see there being demand for this place to keep up and running long term.

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That was my point. I used to go to Second City in Toronto years ago. What kept it going those cold week nights in the winter was groups of office people staying downtown after work. Not sure there is enough of that in Detroit, especially when you add in the work from home.

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Originally Posted by 401don

That was my point. I used to go to Second City in Toronto years ago. What kept it going those cold week nights in the winter was groups of office people staying downtown after work. Not sure there is enough of that in Detroit, especially when you add in the work from home.

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This is some idea that's Horace Sheffield came up with. He probably didn't take into consideration that the afterwork crowd are not much in existence any longer being that many work remotely. He is probably focusing on drawing people from throughout the city to come down and support the club. I don't see anything wrong with drawing people living without the downtown area to support retail and venues. I don't have confidence in this venue . As I had said earlier there are few restaurants and businesses that are given grants whose owners never ram businesses before but were probably given favor to. These businesses occupy huge storefronts that could had been offered to retail or business that deliver better quality if products or services. I am not against any entrepreneurs getting a grant or a start. I believe each should start out small then grow into a better business delivering better quality of goods and services. Hudson's started with a much smaller footprint but as time and demands increased Hudson's footprint became larger. Also, Hudson's was a local retailer

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Originally Posted by stasu1213

This is some idea that's Horace Sheffield came up with. He probably didn't take into consideration that the afterwork crowd are not much in existence any longer being that many work remotely. He is probably focusing on drawing people from throughout the city to come down and support the club. I don't see anything wrong with drawing people living without the downtown area to support retail and venues. I don't have confidence in this venue . As I had said earlier there are few restaurants and businesses that are given grants whose owners never ram businesses before but were probably given favor to. These businesses occupy huge storefronts that could had been offered to retail or business that deliver better quality if products or services. I am not against any entrepreneurs getting a grant or a start. I believe each should start out small then grow into a better business delivering better quality of goods and services. Hudson's started with a much smaller footprint but as time and demands increased Hudson's footprint became larger. Also, Hudson's was a local retailer

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Literally EVERY "name" restaurant/club/hotel is founded with an investment group and a "famous person" attached to it. Very soon after establishement, the "famous person" whose stake is often less than 1%, divests him or herself from the business. Example: Jay-Z's stake in the Brooklyn Nets. You can't be ignorant to this. It repeats itself all over this country. This is just the latest and most local one.

All that said, that space is HUGE. Comedy clubs are tough as it is. Filling that space will be a challenge for anything, comedy or otherwise.

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Originally Posted by djtomt

Literally EVERY "name" restaurant/club/hotel is founded with an investment group and a "famous person" attached to it. Very soon after establishement, the "famous person" whose stake is often less than 1%, divests him or herself from the business. Example: Jay-Z's stake in the Brooklyn Nets. You can't be ignorant to this. It repeats itself all over this country. This is just the latest and most local one.

All that said, that space is HUGE. Comedy clubs are tough as it is. Filling that space will be a challenge for anything, comedy or otherwise.

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Jay Zs buying into the Nets is a totally different scenario. He bought into a percentage of an already existing franchise that was already supported by fans. These fans will support the Nets regardless. Here is a club where a comedian is allowing his name to be use probably for a draw while his partner gets probably most of the money. Remember Tony Island owned by a rapper whose business the council president supported? The restaurant closed within a year.

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Originally Posted by djtomt

All that said, that space is HUGE. Comedy clubs are tough as it is. Filling that space will be a challenge for anything, comedy or otherwise.

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If they're smart they'll set up a small stage on the one side of the space where the dining room was, and keep the games and bowling on the other side of the space. It'll work much better as a mixed bar/club space than just a comedy club. The few times I went there it was pretty busy, especially on the games side.

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Originally Posted by JBMcB

If they're smart they'll set up a small stage on the one side of the space where the dining room was, and keep the games and bowling on the other side of the space. It'll work much better as a mixed bar/club space than just a comedy club. The few times I went there it was pretty busy, especially on the games side.

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Agree on this, I was really hoping someone would reopen the space as it was just with a different name.

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Originally Posted by JBMcB

If they're smart they'll set up a small stage on the one side of the space where the dining room was, and keep the games and bowling on the other side of the space. It'll work much better as a mixed bar/club space than just a comedy club. The few times I went there it was pretty busy, especially on the games side.

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Dint know if Sheffield has business advisors that will suggest that great idea to him. His concept of useful space may nit be as clever as the owners of Punchbowl concept of useful spaces. I was surprised that Punchbowl didn't try to hold on during the pandemic. They were doing so good before it.