LAUGHING MAN
LAUGHING MAN
“My grandmother Henrietta Shorb was married in the Church of the Epiphany just across the street from Laughing Man. I think of her every time I walk out the door and see that church.”
With the success of Mackey’s Pub in a different parț of Downton DC, partners Rich Mackey and Shay Rourke started looking for a second DC pub location. We found the site of the old Reaves Bakery near 13th and G NW. It had a huge kitchen in the back of an 8,000 foot basement and an odd-shaped street level dining room. We went to work trying to fit in two bars, dart boards and a private room for downtown office parties.
Artist Billy Colbert began kicking around logo ideas and when he sent the cartoon character above, I loved it. This whacky figure gave us a tongue in cheek visual to the classic dour pub face. One of our first customers laughed and said “Give me two of what that guy had!”
Over time we built a steady lunch time crowd and happy hours were predictably strong. Oner day at the gym I talked with my friend Jeff Halpern, a former Washington Capital player, and he mentioned a new business he was starting with an old friend. The conversation led to them renting some street-front space and half of our huge kitchen to start Astro Doughnuts and Fried Chicken. At the same time, Laughing Man took more space in the basement to add an urge game room. and build a third bar. Our over footprint was now almost 11,000 square feet.
