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Page 52


ENTERTAINER INVESTS IN HIS ROOTS


COVID-19 Puts Entertainers Out Of Business:


Florida Federation of Fairs Associate Member Greg Thompson is out of work like all of the other fair and festival entertainers. However, he is keep- ing busy. Many in the fair business may know him as “Slim Sweeney”, his alter ego who is the found- ing member of The Sweeney “Family” Band. But he is a little more than a comedy banjo player. He also produces the world’s largest convention of professional celebrity impersonators each year in Orlando. But wait, there’s more. “I’ve been a “go-getter” my whole life.” Says Thompson, who was raised in Southeastern North Carolina, but now re-


sides on Orlando. “My daddy used to get on me as a teenager for having too many irons in the fire.” Greg was working at The Collier County Fair as their MC and Community Stage Manager when Covid-19 shut the fair


down. “We were 4 days into the fair when we got the word that we had to shut down.” Thompson said. He spent a few weeks trying to come up with ways to create income as an entertainer. Then, an opportunity came his


way. Greg’s History: Greg started his entertainment career as a teenager in his hometown of Chadbourn, NC.


In


1977, he started a clogging team and traveled over 3 states performing for 6 years, including performing 40 routines in one day at The 1982 World’s Fair in Knoxville, TN. He has always had a strong tie to his hometown and always wanted to see it progress into a prosperous town and ma-


jor hub in Southeastern North Carolina. However, the fall of the tobacco market caused the town to delve into another broken small town with crime, drugs and deteriorating buildings in their downtown district. For 30 years, he watched his town decline. There have been a few efforts over the years to try and bring downtown


“back to life”, but to no avail. This is in spite of thousands and thousands of cars driving straight through the towns down- town district every weekend (March through September) on their way to Myrtle Beach, SC, which is only an hour away. Opportunity Knocks: So, finally, Greg was encouraged from a hometown friend to purchase a 5800 square foot building


and work toward putting in a Special Events and Performance Hall in Chadbourn. Hence, Brown Street Stationwas born. “The main part of the building had been used as storage for the most part. The smaller part of the building had been a


thrift store by a few people. But it never was very successful. Now, I’m going to give it a shot.” The building is under refurbishment, under the direction of Greg, and will be through Spring of 2021. Thompson hopes


to be booking entertainment and hosting special events in the building. “I’ve been a talent agent and producer as well as an entertainer since 1999. So I’ll put on my producer hat and keep doing what I love. ness into downtown Chadbourn. I think it will encourage others to do what I’ve done.


I want to bring some steady busi- Invest back in my hometown.”


“Most people would not invest in property and an idea when they’ve been put out of work. But I’ve always been known to take a chance on entertainment.” “I’m doing most of the work myself with


the help of my friend Steven Cooch, who is also an entertainer.” Thompson added. He hopes to open in time for The NC Straw- berry Festival which is the first weekend of every may.


www.brownstreetstation.com


Faircracker FALL 2020


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