SCRANTON — No joke: The Scranton Comedy Club aims to make the 300 block of Adams Avenue downtown its new home.
The comedy club has plans underway to occupy the second floor of a former Scranton Counseling Center building at 318-320 Adams Ave., club owner Kevin Lepka said.
“We’re planning on quarter one” of 2026 to open there, Lepka said. “That’s going to be a permanent home and our base location.”
Scranton Comedy Club has promoted and produced shows at various venues in the area over the past several years, including ones headlined by Gilbert Gottfried at the Ritz Theater, 222 Wyoming Ave., in 2018, Louis C.K. at Holiday Inn Scranton East in Dunmore in March and Rich Vos at 514 Ash St. on Black Friday, to name a few.
“We call ourselves NEPA’s premier comedy club for a reason,” Lepka said.
The Adams Avenue location became available as a venue as a result of the sale of that vacant building in July from developer Charles Jefferson to restaurateur Benny Dzurlic.
Jefferson acquired 318-320 Adams Ave. several years ago, along with 326 Adams Ave., both of which were Scranton Counseling Center buildings, under a plan to relocate the center to South Side and redevelop the Adams Avenue buildings. Jefferson still plans to redevelop 326 Adams Ave., which has had renovations ongoing, including removal and restoration of the facade. But 318-320 Adams Ave. no longer fit into Jefferson’s plans and so he sold it.
Dzurlic also owns Sambuca Italian Grille & Bar at 234 Penn Ave., Tequila Mexican Pub at 414 Biden St. and Catch 21 Seafood and Steak restaurant at 301 N. Washington Ave.
Regarding the Adams Avenue building, Dzurlic and Jermaine Carter got approval in October from the city’s Historical Architecture Review board to replace an older 36-inch-wide, single entrance door on the street level of 318-320 Adams Ave. with an 84-inch-wide double door for disabled accessibility. The HARB application, which listed Dzurlic as the building owner and Carter as the client, said the building’s office space would be converted into a bar/comedy club. Carter, who owned the former Harry’s Bar on the first floor of the GAR Building at 300-304 Penn Ave., deferred comment to Lepka.
Lepka plans to open his Scranton Comedy Club at the Adams Avenue building on Fridays and Saturdays, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. and show time at 8 p.m., and with tickets costing $20 per general admission, $30 for a VIP seat closer to the stage, and $40 for a front-row VIP seat — though prices would change for big-name comedians.
He noted the Louis C.K. appearance in March sold out 400 seats in 21½ hours just from a single Facebook post announcement.
“No doubt in my mind we’ll be getting some bigger names in the future” at Adams Avenue, Lepka said.
He also might try to start an open-mic night there and at Scranton Comedy Festival.
“I can’t wait until our vision comes to life inside and it’s all finished up,” he said of the Adams Avenue spot. “We’re really excited. I think it will be great for downtown.”
Meanwhile, in June, Sharon Phillips opened Electric City Improv at 227 Lackawanna Ave., in the former Electric Mindshaft record store location. Home to the Scranton Improv & Comedy troupe that started in 2019 and borrowed space in galleries and theaters, Electric City Improv holds classes for adults, teens and children and classes in other genres, such as stand-up, storytelling and comedy writing.
The future home of the Scranton Comedy Club, the building at 318-320 Adams Ave. in downtown Scranton is shown here on Dec. 9, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
A poster on the front door of the future home of the Scranton Comedy Club, the building at 318-320 Adams Ave. in downtown Scranton is shown here on Dec. 9, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
The future home of the Scranton Comedy Club, the building at 318-320 Adams Ave. in downtown Scranton is shown here on Dec. 9, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
The future home of the Scranton Comedy Club, the building at 318-320 Adams Ave. in downtown Scranton is shown here on Dec. 9, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
The future home of the Scranton Comedy Club, the building at 318-320 Adams Ave. in downtown Scranton is shown here on Dec. 9, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
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The future home of the Scranton Comedy Club, the building at 318-320 Adams Ave. in downtown Scranton is shown here on Dec. 9, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)