Hannibal Buress is stepping back into the Brooklyn comedy scene with a fresh venue dubbed Isola Brooklyn, taking over the space formerly known as the Knitting Factory on Metropolitan Avenue in Williamsburg. Known for his stand-up prowess and acting chops, notably on "Broad City," Buress is shaking things up by not only providing a new performance space but also rekindling his once-famed stand-up series that used to light up the previous venue. The new hub for laughs and entertainment is set to open its doors with an already-sold-out showcase on March 9, featuring Buress himself and promised "surprise special guests," as detailed in a report by Eater New York.
The Knitting Factory, which once pulsated with concerts and art events since its inception in 1987, met its demise in Williamsburg in 2022 following a significant rent increase. The CEO at the time, Morgan Margolis, wished luck to any who dared to take over the daunting space. Buress, who seems to have taken on that challenge, told Curbed in a combination of jest and earnest, "Getting this venue open took way longer than I thought and it was more expensive than I imagined." Isola Brooklyn aims to continue the site's legacy of fostering artistic expression with an offering that includes not only stand-ups but also variety acts and DJs on Eshu Tuesdays, starting from March 11.
Buress's Isola is pegged as a new sanctuary for artistic expression, according to the venue's website. Plans for Isola Sunday, a succession of comedic showcases beginning March 16, are also in the works, guaranteed to keep the tradition alive and the audience chuckling. A peek into the venue's offerings on Instagram shows Buress scrolling cheekily through the website, even poking fun at his own marketing spiel, quoting, “Echoes of the past, sounds of the future — I think we got that from ChatGPT,” as noted by the Curbed.
