Dave Chappelle plans to open Yellow Springs eatery, comedy club
Dave Chappelle is moving forward with plans to open a restaurant and comedy club in his hometown of Yellow Springs, Ohio.
According to plans submitted by Chappelle to the Yellow Springs village commission, the comedian plans to open a restaurant, Firehouse Eatery, and a comedy club, Live from YS. Both will sell food and alcohol and have indoor and outdoor seating, with separate seating for performances.
The Dayton Daily News reported that Chappelle’s company, Iron Table Holdings LLC, bought the former Miami Twp. Fire Station in December 2020 as the site of the planned restaurant and comedy club.
The spaces would have some joint events, but would typically operate as two separate entities, architect Max Chrome said. The restaurant will be open seven days a week, and shows at the comedy club would be four days a week between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m.
Yellow Springs is a small village near Dayton, north of Cincinnati. Chappelle’s podcast, “The Midnight Miracle,” was recorded last year inside his Yellow Springs clubhouse, known as “The Shack.”
Chappelle spoke at the village commission Tuesday, saying he hopes the club, with its intimate setting, will rival
clubs in New York City where he got his start and will attract both high-level and local talent.
“If we build this thing, I’m telling you, all the greats will come,” Chappelle said.
He added that many of the comedians, celebrities and other influential people he knows are “enamored” with Yellow Springs, and that the village has a culture of great importance.
“The way we treat each other in this community is an example for the rest of the country,” he said. “This club will put us in a position to inspire people to put their best foot forward.”