From bars and bowling alleys
to a home on Main Street.
A Comedy Club with a Soul.
We’ve always been a mission-driven small business, focused on the fundamental belief that comedy should be accessible to all. We will always strive to nurture and develop a strong community of comedians and comedy fans. And we continue to believe that in comedy and in life, representation matters.
Read on to learn how VCC came to be — we hope you’ll stick around for our exciting future!
A Timeline of VCC
What began as a labor of love for husband and wife Nathan Hartswick and Natalie Miller grew into a robust community - and then, a downtown venue.
Back in 2010, Nathan & Natalie were budding comedians with few chances to perform. They producing their own shows to create more opportunity for themselves and others. The pair mounted performances around the state in bowling alleys, bars, restaurants, church basements and living rooms.
In 2011, they got married and just days later, began teaching comedy classes at a new studio in the South End, a tiny classroom they named “Spark Arts.”
They also started co-producing the Green Mountain Comedy Festival and founded the Vermont’s Funniest Comedian Contest.
As the scene grew from a dozen comedians and a handful of fans into a large community with hundreds of performers (and thousands of fans), Nathan and Natalie began long-term planning to create a proper comedy venue in Burlington - one that would make comedy accessible to everyone.
The Armory Building
As Nathan and Natalie built their business plan and searched for a location in Burlington large enough to accommodate the project, the Armory building at 101 Main Street was only a dream.
The space, home to several nightclubs in the past (Sh'Na-Na's in the 90s and Hunt's in the 80s), had burned over 10 years earlier, and was now a large dirt pit that would require a complete rebuild.
The couple, like every other artist in town, had passed by the big empty space and dreamed about the possibilities of this beautiful old building.
Little did they know, Redstone and Nedde Real Estate had begun building a beautiful 139-room Hilton Garden Inn behind the building, with a lobby and lounge on the top floor of the Armory. They were looking for something unique and exciting to occupy the 6,000 square feet of space on the ground level.
Fundraising
In the autumn of 2014, after years of careful planning and hard work, Nathan and Natalie launched a Kickstarter campaign that announced to the world their intention to build a permanent home for comedy in Vermont. The community rallied, and the campaign raised over $30,000. The race to raise the rest of the money was on.
Because Nathan and Natalie were raised in the Northeast Kingdom and come from low-income backgrounds, the remainder of the funds for the project did not come easily. Renovating the Armory space would take more than a half-million dollars.
Through a combination of visionary investors, loans, and gifts, Nathan and Natalie were able to raise the capital necessary to begin construction in summer 2015.
The Space Opens
In November 2015, Vermont Comedy Club opened its doors to the public, featuring a lounge, 150-seat showroom, classroom, and shows 5 nights per week with full food and drink menu. The club quickly became known as one of the best in the country, attracting top talent.
Then, after 5 years... COVID-19 hit. Taking no chances, the club closed on March 13, 2020, moving as many of its shows and classes online as possible.
Staying Strong.
The club remained closed for 18 months, offering online shows, classes and hangouts to keep everyone’s spirits up during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thanks to pandemic relief funds and the support of the community, Vermont Comedy Club was able to survive, reopening in September, 2021.
Version 2.0.
The post-Covid club looks a bit different than the pre-Covid one, though it has the same misson. Renovations were made to improve safety for public gathering, and some aesthetic improvements were made as well. Plus, a cafe was added so the club could offer a daytime community space.
What will happen next? Who knows? The future looks bright, and Nathan & Natalie hope you will visit Vermont Comedy Club soon!