Louisville’s oldest comedy club is closing after nearly 40 years as redevelopment moves forward at Mid City Mall.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — After nearly four decades, Louisville’s longest-running comedy club will shut its doors next month.
The Funny Farm, which opened in 1987 inside Mid City Mall in the Highlands and later became The Caravan, will host its final show on March 21. The closure comes as plans move ahead to demolish Mid City Mall by the end of 2026 to make way for new development.
A spokesperson said the club is actively searching for a new location.
Over the years, the venue welcomed a wide range of well-known comedians, including Steve Harvey, Howie Mandel, Sinbad, Heywood Banks, Brett Leake, Tim Wilson, Mitch Hedberg and Pauly Shore.
The club’s final performances are set for Friday, March 20, and Saturday, March 21, featuring Louisville comedian Rich Ragains as the headliner.
“I grew up in that room,” Ragains said in a Tuesday news release. “I learned timing there. I bombed there. I learned how to be funny when it mattered. That stage molded me.”
For ticket information and reservations, call 502-459-0022.
The Mid City Market redevelopment project is expected to include a Publix grocery store and five retail buildings, but no residential units, according to Louisville Business First. Plans also call for additional green space and more pedestrian walkways, along with a 25% reduction in parking — eliminating more than 100 spaces. The library currently inside Mid City Mall will remain and move to a building on the Beechwood Avenue side of the new development.
Mid City Mall has been on the market since November 2024. Bardstown Road Investment Co. and the David A. Metts Irrevocable Term Trust currently own the property, which carries a tax assessment of $11.4 million.
Several businesses inside the mall have already closed or relocated. Ramen House Louisville moved to Spring Street. The Nearly New Shop closed in September. The iconic Back Door Bar shut down in May 2024 following the death of longtime owner John Dant. Baxter Avenue Theatres also closed at the end of 2025, citing uncertainty surrounding the mall’s future.
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