Tarentum train station restaurant owner isn't sure 50% capacity is enough to reopen

John Greco isn’t sure he can reopen his Tarentum restaurant even with a return to half capacity later this month.

“We can’t make it with 25% or 50%,” said Greco, owner of JG’s Tarentum Station Grille. “In order to make it economically feasible, we need the restrictions to be lifted.

“Of course, we understand the governor can’t do that until he determines that it’s safe. I want to protect my employees and also protect my customers.”

Greco has owned the restaurant in the historic train station on East Sixth Avenue since January 2008. It’s been closed since March 16 because of the covid-19 pandemic, and its 24 full- and part-time employees have been laid off.

While other restaurants have continued operating with limited seating capacity and relying on takeout and curbside business, Greco said he and his team decided against it.

“We made that decision, and we stuck with it,” he said.

Gov. Tom Wolf announced this week that restaurants can increase their indoor dining capacity to 50% starting Sept. 21. A 25% limit has been in place since July.

Greco said his restaurant’s normal capacity is 130.

While he said they could spread people out, he added, “We could not operate profitably with the limits. It would not make sense for anyone to open up and lose money.”

Still, Greco said he and his restaurant team are looking to see if they can at least break even at half capacity.

“We have not made that determination yet,” he said.

Greco also owns a scrap business, PJ Greco Sons, which he said he’s been focusing on.

During the shutdown, Greco said they’ve been keeping the restaurant clean and doing work that couldn’t be done when it was open, such as changing a cooler in the bar.

“We’ll be ready when the time is right,” he said.

Greco promises the restaurant will reopen.

“We definitely will be reopening. We just don’t know when,” he said. “We will have the same kitchen and waitstaff. And we look forward to serving our customers again soon.”