thom greco

Born in Hazleton in 1957, Thom Greco has been hooked on entertainment since he was a child. He performed in summer stock Off-Broadway theater productions at the Lakewood Playhouse in Schuylkill County, was the vocalist for a rock band in high school, and was cast as an extra in The Molly Maguires, which was filmed in Eckley. At 17, Greco was starting to find his career path when he organized his first dance in Hazleton for his high school classmates.

While a banquet waiter at his uncle Gus Genetti’s hotel, Greco decided to open a dance club for those under 21. The Greco-operated Vox Box was opened in Wilkes-Barre, and clubs with similar models were soon opened in Hazleton and Williamsport. WNEP-TV’s dance program The Thom Greco Show was an extension of the Vox Box’s success, with college and high school students being given a chance to dress up and dance on local television. Greco briefly attended law school in Florida, but eventually returned to Luzerne County to continue his education and operate his first commercial property at 105 North Main Street in Wilkes-Barre.

Greco brought the “under 21” concept of the Vox Box to North Main Street and then reconcepted it with the Factory, a danceable rock nightclub in a location that could draw in a college crowd. Pulling from his experience in booking national talent at Genetti’s, Greco brought top-tier acts to the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Pocono Downs, Rocky Glen Park, and the Woodlands’ ballroom. For over a decade, Greco was a shareholder and managing partner of the Woodlands, and, in that time, he turned around the 25th Hour and Executive Lounge, and he brought in acts like Frankie Valli, Three Dog Night, and the Monkees.

As a concert promoter, Greco booked Aerosmith for one of the few concerts held at Lackawanna County Stadium (now PNC Field), and was the local promoter for Montage Mountain Performing Arts Center, bringing in Meat Loaf, Jackson Browne, and many others. That venue is now the Pavilion at Montage Mountain. Greco purchased the Wilkes-Barre historic train station complex and reconceptualized it into entertainment clubs like the Bebop Café, Banana Joe’s, and Market Street Square. Under Greco’s ownership, the train station complex was a springboard for local and national artists looking to take the next step in their musical careers.

Several venues under Greco’s control were staples of Luzerne County’s nightlife, including Martini Ristorante & Bar, the Oyster Restaurant, and the latest of his 105 North Main Street clubs: The Mines. Greco continues to be a mainstay in Luzerne County with more recent ventures, such as Margarita Beer Garden, Nelly’s Speakeasy, and Heat Bar & Nightclub, the area’s premier LGBTQ+ club. Greco is also one of the primary organizers of Pennsylvania Polkafest – with Joe Nardone and Jim Della Croce – an annual event hosted at Mohegan Pennsylvania. 

Greco made perhaps his biggest local impact while working in the Harveys Lake community. He was the owner and promoter of the Bud Light Amphitheater at the former Hanson’s Amusement Park. He brought in a who’s who of music’s biggest artists to the area, including Ringo Starr, Alice Cooper, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Dolly Parton, and Johnny Cash. The alternative rock band Bush played at Harveys Lake and called it one of their favorite venues.

Greco was one of the founding members of the Nightclub & Bar Show, which draws tens of thousands of industry professionals to Las Vegas for its annual convention. For over 20 years, Greco gave seminars and moderated panels at the convention, and he chaired the body’s advisory board for eight years. The strength of Greco’s entertainment industry connections can be seen through his management, funding, and mentorship of the local band Synch and artist Jimmy Harnen, who scored a top 10 hit on the Billboard charts with “Where Are You Now” in 1989.

Greco has long supported the Planters Peanuts brand, which was founded in Wilkes-Barre in 1906 by Amedeo Obici and Mario Peruzzi, and its mascot Mr. Peanut. Greco is an officially recognized historian for Planters Peanuts, and he has accumulated one of the largest and most exclusive Planters memorabilia collections in the world. Fittingly, his interest in Planters Peanuts was the inspiration for his Peanuts saloon at the train station complex. 

Greco’s bold business methods have been a driving force behind his roles as a job creator and investor in Luzerne County’s culture. As his profile and successes continue to grow, many in Luzerne County are eager to work with the ever-ambitious Thom Greco, who has earned the respect of many musicians in the area for his years of booking gigs and advocating for artists.