Dave’s keeps laughing during hard times

Photo by jill russell

Dave’s has brought Milton residents together for more than 50 years. Through the good times, the little restaurant has thrived and so has the community. And through recent economic hard times, Dave’s owner Mary Tompkins was determined to keep the standards high.

“I wanted to provide a place where people could still have good food, a laugh and forget about the struggling economy,” Tompkins said.

She purchased Dave’s of Milton five years ago and three years before the economy really took a turn for the worse. Last October, sales were down almost 50 percent. To ensure customers could come back, Tompkins made alterations to the menus, removing items that might be too costly and providing more specials and discounts. But, times were scary.

“I didn’t know what was going to happen,” Tompkins said.

Community support and regular customers have helped keep the restaurant afloat, she said. But, Tompkins also credits customer loyalty to introduction of monthly comedy nights. The comedy nights are held in the restaurant’s lounge. There is no stage, just a small corner with microphone and a few spotlights, keeping the vibe low-key. Performers are so close, audience members can slap them high-fives of approval. Tompkins said the comedy nights offer residents the level of live entertainment expected at a Seattle club, without the Seattle price.

Former Milton resident and rising comedy star, Jason Stuart, has been the booking agent for Dave’s for several years. He is responsible for bringing top-notch talent like Craig Gass, Ty Burnett and Harrold Gomez to the small, Northwest town. Stuart has made the most of his connections while working with comedian Howard Stern and touring up and down the West Coast.

“Jason had helped bring some pretty big names here,” Tompkins said. “It brought a lot of people to the restaurant that would have otherwise not even known about us.”

Word has been spreading about the comedy nights throughout the comedic community too, explained Tompkins. But what makes a club like Dave’s so appealing? As last weekend’s headliner Gomez put it, “It’s the intimacy. I know the audience is just going to be real people.”

Like most comedians, Gomez made his way through small venues, while working odd jobs, and after 12 years in the business, has been performing in some of the country’s biggest cities. Perhaps his biggest comedic achievement was touring with national comedian Dave Chappelle’s block party several years ago.

“Comedy has a way of bridging cultures and differences,” Gomez said. “After music, it’s probably the most powerful form of entertainment.”

Gomez said one of the talents every up and coming comedian must cultivate is reading the room. This is how a performer establishes likeability and an understanding on how far to take each joke.  

“In Milton, anything goes,” joked Gomez. “I will definitely tell other comics, they need to stop by Dave’s, if they are in town.”

To reserve a seat at Dave’s next comedy night or for more information visit, http://www.davesofmilton.com.

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