Third Coast Comedy Eyes Former Funeral Home Site

Third Coast Comedy Club is set to vacate its Marathon Village location later this year and is considering a move to the site of a former funeral home in East Nashville. 

The comedy venue hosts shows, classes and a bar in the Marathon Village location (1310 Clinton St.) where it has operated for the past nine years. Scott Field and Luke Watson, co-founders of the Third Coast, say Marathon’s property owner is looking to attract additional daytime business to the development in a shift away from nighttime operations. 

The co-founders say they've been looking at properties across Nashville to accommodate the venue's needs, which include high ceilings, ample parking and a central location that can draw an audience. That search brought them to a roughly 14,000-square-foot 1950s structure located at 904 Gallatin Ave. — the former site of Eastland Funeral Home. 

Field and Watson have yet to sign a lease, but the club founders say the building has great potential to be Third Coast’s future venue space — though it would require some renovations before the business can be up and running. Upgrades are needed to the electrical system and fire sprinklers, and the installation of an elevator is needed. 

The revamp of the space would come at a significant cost — at least $750,000 — according to the owners, who say they have been unable to secure a loan of more than $250,000. The duo held a town hall earlier this month, during which they asked supporters and community members how much they would be willing to pledge to assist with repairs. So far, Field and Watson say they have received $330,000 in pledges, and a formal fundraising campaign is set to launch soon. 

“A lot of people, I think, were very concerned, as well, of losing their community and their stage to do their craft in,” Field says. 

“It's really a powerful signal to us that's encouraging. It's giving us a lot of confidence that we're going to be able to do something and make this happen.”

Field and Watson said they have to vacate their Marathon Village space by the end of September, but are seeking to extend the exit date to December. It is unclear what business will replace the comedy club in the space.

“We're kind of casting a wide net of how we can get support and how we can stay in business through this transition,” Watson says. 

This article was first published by our sister publication, the Nashville Post.