The Comedy Store
The Comedy Store is a stand-up comedy club located at 8433 Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, California, on the Sunset Strip. It operates as a dedicated showcase venue for stand-up comedians, providing stage time to emerging and established performers rather than financial compensation. The club became a central institution in American stand-up comedy and launched the careers of comedians including Richard Pryor, Robin Williams, David Letterman, Jay Leno, and Whoopi Goldberg.
History
The Comedy Store was founded on April 7, 1972, by comedians Sammy Shore and Rudy DeLuca, with Mitzi Shore also participating, at the site of the former nightclub Ciro's on the Sunset Strip. Following the divorce of Sammy and Mitzi Shore, Mitzi Shore assumed operation of the club; she purchased the building in 1976 and renovated it to include a 450-seat main room. A 1979 comedians' strike over unpaid performances marked a significant labor dispute in the club's history, and Mitzi Shore continued to manage the venue until her death in 2018, after which family members assumed management.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). The Comedy Store. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/companies/the-comedy-store
The Improv Archive. "The Comedy Store." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/companies/the-comedy-store.
The Improv Archive. "The Comedy Store." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/companies/the-comedy-store. Accessed October 11, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.