Grapes & Giggles a growing local comedy scene in San Carlos

Later in the night, the manager circled back to chat and give Beasley and his wife a tour of the place. This led to a friendly conversation that turned into a business opportunity that has become a continued relationship between Grapes & Giggles and Domenico Winery for the past three years.

While ever-changing government restrictions on COVID protocol pushed back their initial start date, Grapes & Giggles has hosted over 200 shows, with 40 in its home base of San Carlos, since its start in June 2022.

With an average attendance of 150 people, reaching upwards of 250 for holiday shows, Grapes & Giggles provides a lively yet intimate atmosphere. Beasley thinks they have struck a perfect balance for some special nights. “When everyone’s laughing together, that shared energy, that’s when people start crying while they’re laughing and feel really connected to the people at their table ... that energy, there’s nothing like it and I really love providing it,” Beasley said.

Domenico was its first home, and continues to be its mainstay, but Grapes & Giggles has brought their traveling talent to seven other locations in the Tri-Valley, South Bay and Sacramento areas. With an average of three to four shows a month, Beasley aspires to grow clientele.

“Sometimes it’s hard to find venues that really match, but definitely our goal is to keep expanding and finding those venues that fit our demographic,” he said.

While shows are 21+, Beasley has noticed a mixed bag of attendance, with couples on a date night, groups of friends out for laughs and colleagues on a company outing. The largest demographic, however, is middle-aged folk that enjoy a sip of vino.

“For the audience, I do feel a huge sense of responsibility to make sure that we provide, especially after the pandemic, a place where people can leave their worries at the door, congregate with multiple people and laugh,” he said.

A stand-up comedian in his own right, Beasley prides Grapes & Giggles on its ability to curate high-quality, diverse shows.

“Different voices, different world views, all interacting on the same show so that the audience gets a fun peek into different lifestyles and different types of humor,” Beasley said, adding there is an opportunity to see up and coming comedians right before they hit it big.

Beyond providing a quality show for the audience, Beasley said he is trying to create a benefit for all. Operating in an industry known for some shady practices, like stiffing employees and comedians out of their pay, Beasley is committed to providing an honest, fair-paying environment. This includes a business model in which Grapes & Giggles solely focuses on the comedy and ticket sales, and runs the show at no cost to the venue.

“If you just want a fun night out, that’s of a high quality. You don’t have to question what you’re about to experience. … It’s always just a great time and you can trust us with curating a great night out and it’s not going to be far from where you live,” he said. “That’s the goal ... we want to bring these amazing comics to you.”

Grapes & Giggles’ next show at Domenico Winery is Aug. 20. Go to grapesandgiggles.com for more information and tickets.