Small comedy club Voyageurs aims to revive downtown entertainment

Comedian Devin Keast signed a lease on January 10 to convert the lower level of the Beadle Building at Cass and Front into Voyageurs, a small, standup-focused comedy club intended to bring regular nighttime entertainment back to downtown Traverse City. The space, vacant since Mackinaw Brewing closed in December 2022, will house a 50–60 seat venue with a full bar and a planned four-night-per-week comedy lineup, pending an investor to fund the interior build-out.

Keast, Michigan-born and NYC-trained, envisions a mix of local programming and touring talent: local nights and discounted shows to build a steady audience during the week, free-ticket open-mic Wednesdays to cultivate comics, and higher-profile touring acts on weekends. He also plans workshops, a policy of free seats so comedians can learn by watching, private-event rentals, and expanded community programming tied to the broader festival calendar. Voyageurs is aiming for an early-2026 opening, targeting the Traverse City Comedy Festival in April as a launch moment.

Economically, the plan repurposes a long-vacant commercial space into an active nightlife venue that can generate regular foot traffic for surrounding businesses. At 50–60 seats across four nights, the club represents roughly 200–240 seat-nights per week at full capacity, with the potential for higher utilization during festival weekends and private events. Revenue streams will include ticket sales, bar revenue, and rentals for private functions—typical components that can make small venues viable while supporting part-time hospitality jobs and service spending nearby.

The primary hurdle is financing the build-out. Keast’s search for an investor reflects a common funding challenge for small arts venues, where upfront construction and licensing costs precede steady operating cash flow. For potential local investors, the business case hinges on predictable weekly programming, cross-promotion with festivals, and downtown evening demand. For the city and business owners, a year-round comedy venue could help reduce retail vacancy and extend peak hours for restaurants and shops, strengthening the so-called evening economy downtown.

The Beadle Building’s brick walls, 7-foot ceilings, and low-light subterranean vibe are cited as an ideal intimate setting for standup, a quality that can differentiate Voyageurs from larger, less personal venues. If it opens as planned, the club could become a regular draw for both residents and visitors and a pipeline for local talent into the national festival circuit.

Our two cents? If you want downtown to hum after dinner, support local nights, check voyageurscomedy.com for updates, and consider whether small-scale investment in arts amenities could pay cultural and economic dividends for Traverse City.