No joke: Side Splitters expanding to St. Pete 

The Sundial, an upscale retail plaza in downtown St. Petersburg, is rapidly evolving into an entertainment complex. And that is no laughing matter. 

Tampa-based Side Splitters Comedy Club will open a new location in the Sundial, between Forbici Modern Italian and the AMC Theater. Owner Brian Thompson signed a lease for a roughly 6,000-square-foot space near bustling Beach Drive last week, and build-out began Wednesday. 

Tampa-based Side Splitters has brought nationally touring comedy acts to the Carrollwood area for over 32 years. The St. Petersburg location should open in six to nine months and attract the same level of talent.  

“Once you really get to experience it, comedy becomes addictive to people,” Thompson told the Catalyst. “Live entertainment is a beautiful thing. It’s been around for a long time, and it’s up to us to keep it alive.” 

He noted that the St. Petersburg location is slightly larger than the Tampa club, which often hosts A-list comics. For example, Louis C.K., who has won six Emmys and three Grammys, had a show there Thursday night.

The Sundial club will seat about 250 people. Thompson called that “kind of the magic number” that ensures a “certain level of act.” 

He also pledged to “pull out all the stops” and “open up with a bang.” Thompson has established relationships with several prominent comedians over the years and is already contemplating how he can build upon the Tampa location’s success in St. Petersburg. 

“Downtown St. Pete is such a fun little getaway for them, especially for a bunch of these New York comics in the wintertime,” he added. “It should be an exciting thing for everybody.” 

Side Splitters St. Pete will occupy a second-level space at the Sundial that formerly housed the Locale Market. Mike Connor, CEO of Paradise Ventures and the complex’s co-owner, said it would feature an indoor-outdoor bar.

The Tampa club’s location in a Carrollwood strip mall requires planning and driving. Connor noted people can “just walk up” and catch a show at the Sundial. 

“This is going to be, I think, much more thought out as far as the design and circulation,” he said. “For us, I think it’s such a great use for the center.” 

Shane Gillis is among the prominent comics to perform at Side Splitters Comedy Club in Tampa. Photo provided.

Thompson said the internet and social media have opened the door for an influx of one-night acts. Many sell out in Tampa and could now pick up additional bookings in St. Petersburg. Providing additional stage time and increasing ticket sales could also attract more A-listers. 

Pop-up shows are a new trend in the comedy world and offer “our local guys a place to work.” However, Thompson said a “dedicated club that can bring in world-class talent regularly is something that every city needs.”

“People in St. Pete like to step out – they love their city,” he added. “And bringing that to them is something I believe people are really going to get behind.” 

There are also several synergistic opportunities for Side Splitters at the Sundial. The owners of adjacent Forbici, another popular Tampa establishment, have already proposed a partnership. 

Side Splitters, which will offer light food, could serve the restaurant’s “award-winning pizzas,” Thompson said. He and Connor believe the club aligns with the vision for a reimagined Sundial. 

Forbici will open concurrently with Drift, a long-awaited courtyard bar and gathering space, in January or February. Connor shared details on the latter in July after clearing a legal hurdle with the theater’s owners, a global investment firm. 

Live music is a key aspect for both Forbici and Drift. Connor said the Tampa location often offers multiple nightly shows and matinees for up-and-coming comics. 

Connor and Thompson have discussed showcasing emerging local acts in the Sundial’s open-air, public courtyard. “They want to practice their craft, and we’ve got a plug-and-play system,” he said.

“Instead of always having music, we would maybe shake it up and do some comedy once in a while and just see what happens.” 

Thompson credits relationships and word-of-mouth for the Tampa location’s success since 1992. While Side Splitters “works really well for what we do,” he reiterated that it’s “stuck in the plaza.” 

“Nobody talks more than comics,” Thompson said, and the Sundial and surrounding downtown waterfront will “be such a fun area” for them to come spend a weekend. “The beautiful thing about this is we won’t lose our personal touch.” 

“When you’re in a tight room and everybody’s laughing, and everybody’s on the same page, there’s an energy that you can’t duplicate outside of the top clubs,” Thompson continued. “It’s just something you gotta experience.”