New comedy club opens in Old Orchard Beach
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Gabe Perez and Sean Boucher, standing in the center with blue t-shirts, get ready to cut a ribbon at a ceremony with the Old Orchard Beach Chamber of Commerce. PHOTO BY LIZ GOTTHELF
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Tue, Jul 7, 2026 |
Ready for a good laugh? A new comedy club has opened in downtown Old Orchard Beach.
Flip Flops, 40 Old Orchard St. opened May 22. The club is open every night except Monday, showcasing comedians from Maine and along the east coast. Tuesday nights are open-mic nights, and budding comedians who want to give it a go can sign up online.
The comedy club is owned by comedians Gabe Perez and Sean Boucher. They met in 2023 – both were new to doing stand-up comedy, and both had just moved to Maine. The two formed Final Bistro Productions and began hosting open-mic events and comedy shows in Southern Maine.
Perez’s parents were Broadway dancers, and he moved a lot as a child. He has fond memories of trips to Old Orchard Beach, and it was always a place that gave him stability in life. His love for the town has not faded over the years.
“I really do believe there’s something special going on here,” he said. “I love this town.”
His mother later moved to Old Orchard Beach and ran a cookie shop just across the street from where the comedy club stands today. When she was diagnosed with a brain tumor, Perez moved to Old Orchard Beach to take care of her and spend time with her before she died in 2024.
Boucher was born in Portland but lived in Florida for many years. Fresh from a divorce, he came to Maine to celebrate his grandparents’ anniversary and decided to stay.
“I fell in love with the state,” he said.
He, too, has a connection with Old Orchard Beach, as his mother once worked at a food stand in Palace Playland.
Perez and Boucher said that while they have opposite personalities, comedy has brought them together.
“Comedy is a wild ride,” said Boucher.
Opening a club to feature up and coming talent seemed like the natural next step for the pair.
“Every comic started out in a place like this,” said Boucher.
Boucher and Perez said locals can come to Old Orchard Beach instead of Portland to see comedians, and tourists can stop by for something different to do while on vacation.
“It’s a way to show people from away that we have really funny people here in Maine,” said Perez.
Saco Bay News Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.