The Deaf Puppy Club is coming.

And while the official date for opening is still up in the air, local comic, restauranteur, and raconteur Chris Teicheira is hopeful that he’ll have his Downtown Manteca comedy club and restaurant up and running before 2024 arrives.

If not, he’ll have to produce answers.

“My Aunt Rosalie Teicheira told me in August that there’s no way I’ll open before New Year’s Eve, and I told her she was banned to enter until January 1 — so something’s gotta give,” Teicheira said. “Hopefully it’s her standing outside a sold-out Christmas time show.”

While Teicheira had initially planned on having his first slate of comics perform by Thanksgiving weekend, it looks like he won’t clear the necessary permits until after that holiday passes.

That means that he’s going to have to find an alternate venue for the comics that had already booked.

More than likely those comics will end up performing at the MRPS Hall while the final signoffs are accrued, and the venue takes a step closer to becoming a downtown destination.

“I really wanted to be completely open Thanksgiving weekend – it’s the perfect time for a full house setting. People home, out shopping on Black Friday – or hiding from shopping – we want people to pop in and take a look at what’s being created in downtown Manteca,” Teicheira said. “The place for the most part will be fully operational, but we have multiple inspections and regulations that come with opening what is essentially a restaurant.”

What started as a longtime dream among friends has slowly been taking shape in the heart of Manteca’s commercial center. Located on the north end of the parking lot at the corner of Main Street and Yosemite Avenue, the Deaf Puppy Club will essentially operate as a restaurant and bar with live performances from a wide variety of comedians.

Construction at the club continues, and Teicheira said he’s working on getting the first slate of shows – Paul Conyers, the winner of the 2020 Main Event at the World Series of Comedy in Las Vegas, will be up first – switched over to the MRPS Hall while a soft-opening is scheduled for the first week of December.

And some of the names booked for the first run of comics feature names that Manteca residents will recognize from their seemingly permanent presence at Deaf Puppy Comedy Shows – names that include Anthony K, Saul Trujillo, Connor Martin, Taylor Evans, Danielle Arce, and Nick Larson.

Modesto native Marcella Arguello – who recently dropped a comedy special on HBO Max – is also scheduled to perform in February.

“I booked a month’s worth of comics over 3 months ago – that’s the way the business works if you want top talent,” Teicheira said. “There’s no 1-800-Comic you call and suddenly they slide into town on a moment’s notice – these are national acts.

“Scheduling and meeting these dates are my major concern.”

Comedy fans and residents can stay apprised of the updates and the prospective performers by visiting the club’s recently-launched website at www.deafpuppyclub.com – where they can also purchase tickets which range in price from $20 up to $35 for general admission to the showroom area.

Even though Teicheira plans on making the club a haven for comedy fans and those that appreciate the artform, he said that he’s working hard to make sure that it’s also a place that the casual comedy fan – or even those that aren’t fans of comedy – will find something for them as well.

“The Deaf Puppy Club is going to be a very inclusive place – something for all ages. We have been in contact with our local high school art departments in hopes of staging art exhibits, enabling young high school artists the opportunity to curate and take ownership of their artistic visions and creations,” Teicheira said. “The Manteca Animal Shelter has discussed a bi-monthly event on Saturday mornings in the large patio we are creating.

“Maybe a ‘Mimosa’s n Mutts’ adoption day. Live music. Good food – you know, fun!”