POSH’s John Greco

STRAIGHT ALLY, DEVOTED GAY SUPPORTER

Master Chef, Restaurateur, Owner of Posh and most  importantly straight ally, John Greco relentlessly gives to the community with pride and generosity.  He is the owner of four upscale restaurants/bars in NYC along with Posh. You all know it and most of you have been to it.

I caught Greco in the midst of his busy schedule and was able to have an in-depth conversation with him about the bar, his love for the gay community and how proud he is to be involved.

How long have you owned Posh?
I opened Posh in 2000, close to 15 years ago.  I had a strong gay clientele at Philip Marie, who inspired me to open in Hell’s Kitchen at the time. I saw the  movement uptown and my gay  clientele were looking for a comfortable place to gather in Hell’s kitchen…so the inception of Posh.

And you own several other NYC establishments, correct?
Yes, I own Philip Marie in the W. Village since 1997.  In Hell’s Kitchen, I own Bamboo52 sushi bar/lounge, Posh, 1/2/3burger shot beer, sports bar, and most recently K Rico Steakhouse, on 9th Avenue, with my brother Tommy.

You must be a very busy man. Let’s talk about Posh.
Posh is that neighborhood feel good place with a welcoming vibe. And we have something going on every night of the week.  Check us out anytime at poshbarnyc.com. Or friend us on facebook.

Who DJs there?
I have DJ JROC, DJ 2Face, DJ Panos Mitos, DJ John Marto creating the music vibe at Posh these days.

What made you decide to open Posh?
As I mentioned earlier, basic supply and demand.  My Philip Marie clientele demanded I supply them with a Hell’s Kitchen local bar…Posh.  It seemed like a natural idea. My relationship with the gay community continued to thrive.

Posh is part of a community- a very, very thankful community.  They appreciate you. Posh customers are unbelievable.  We stand together and support each other. Posh customers know a good product. They know value.  They know who’s behind it and they know they have an owner, who supports them in many facets of their life. Posh is the first gay bar they can bring their mother to and believe me, I’ve seen it many times.  “Hey mom, it’s like the gay ‘Cheers’ of NY.”

People wonder how Posh survives with all these new gay bars in Hell’s Kitchen.  You know what? Men are men, no matter if you’re gay or straight.  At Posh, it’s a no attitude, real bar that happens to be gay. We like to say it’s a “straight friendly bar” as we welcome all.  It has brick walls, a tin ceiling, a wooden floor.  It serves a stiff drink, great prices til 4am every single day.

As of Monday, we are now open from 2pm daily for a liquid lunch.  It is safe.  I love it. I feel more at home at Posh than anywhere else.

What do you like best about being a bar owner?
As a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, my love is food and the service industry.  Being a bar owner is just a different part of the service industry.  After all, who doesn’t like to eat and drink?

I explain to my staff that this industry is about people serving people.  We serve and you have to be okay with that.  There’s no room at Posh for prima donna bartenders talking on their phones, thinking people are just coming to see them. At Posh, customer service is #1 and 99% of the time, the customer is always right. It’s not like that in a lot of bars.  If you’ve been in before, your drink should be on the bar exactly the way you like it. That’s from a bartender who takes the time to know you, listens and talks to you throughout your time at Posh.

Is there anything else you’d like to say?
I will always be there for the gay community. I want to get across how devoted all my places are to the gay community.

With Posh, I donate time, money, and food to gay events throughout the city.  I have been a strong supporter of gay rights groups, and worked alongside many talented and passionate people supporting the marriage equality bill. Throughout the years, I have been actively involved with GOAL, The Empire State Pride Agenda, The Imperial Court and many others.  I even had the privilege to go to Albany and meet with senators and congressmen regarding the Gay Rights Movement.

I am an avid supporter of the Gay Sports Leagues. From tennis, softball, football, volleyball to hockey, I have supported them all in some way.

And keep in mind, Philip Marie has an unbelievable BBQ night on Sunday.

John, do you cook in your restaurants?
Yes, still cooking in the kitchen after all these years.

Philip Marie
569 Hudson St
(New American)

Bamboo 52
344 W 52nd St
(Sushi Bar and Lounge)

1 2 3 Burger Shot Beer
738 10th Ave.
(Sports Bar & Restaurant)

K Rico
772 9th Ave.
(South American SteakHouse with Brunch)

Posh Bar & Lounge
405 W 51st St (Gay Bar)
poshbarnyc.com

Photo By: skywritingmedia.com