Meet The Owners Of The Grand GSO In Downtown Greensboro

Jose and Eduardo Garcia have spent years working as aircraft mechanics, keeping planes in the air while juggling their passion for music and events. Their friend Rafael has built businesses in different industries, always looking for the next opportunity. Together, they set out to bring something new to Greensboro’s nightlife, using their connections and experience to book artists from across the country as well as Latin America. After 15 years of organizing events, they have learned what works and what doesn’t. Now, they’re creating a space at 117 S Elm Street where big-name talent and up-and-coming artists can take the stage.

What do you do, and what is your claim to fame so far?

Rafael Pineda: I’m an entrepreneur by nature. I’ve been running businesses for about six or seven years, and I have a passion for that type of venture. I’m currently the CEO and owner of The Grand GSO.

Jose Garcia: I am an airplane mechanic, an aircraft technician—I fix airplanes. I’m also an entrepreneur. I organize events and parties, bringing DJs and artists from different countries to the States. We also own a car dealership in High Point called JG Auto Sales. My brother takes care of that side of the business.

Eduardo Garcia: I’ve been an aircraft mechanic for the past 10 years, and we opened up the business in 2018. It’s been doing well since then—still running.

Tell us about the team you’ve built around you.

Rafael Pineda: My team consists of highly talented people, one of them being the top promoter in North Carolina—his name is Jose Garcia, aka Princey. My other business partner, Eduardo Garcia, is also very talented. We help each other out in every way we can and pretty much fulfill each other’s needs.

Jose Garcia: I think we have built the best team there is. My brother and I have known each other our whole lives, of course, and our friend here—we’ve worked together for about 13 years. We’ve brought in a lot of artists and hosted concerts not just in the U.S. but in Mexico and other countries as well. We’ve built strong connections, and that’s been key to our success.

Why did you choose The Grand GSO as the name?

Rafael Pineda: It’s a name we discussed as a group, as a team, and we liked it. We feel like the name connects with people, and it’s very memorable.

How will it be different from Cone Denim?

Rafael Pineda: Cone Denim was a very specific type of business. They catered mainly to live bands and comedy shows, whereas The Grand will now include all types of events for the community—from comedy shows to Latin shows, hip-hop, live bands, and more.

How would you compare Greensboro to other cities?

Rafael Pineda: Greensboro is unique. It’s a small city, but it’s very diverse and has people from all over the world. The city is booming right now, and compared to others, its growth is really strong.

Jose Garcia: I can’t really compare Greensboro. I’ve been throwing parties here for the past 15 years—this is my city. I like going to parties in other places, but I will never leave Greensboro. This is my baby.

Eduardo Garcia: We grew up here. We’ve been in Greensboro for almost 20 years, and we’ve watched it develop and grow. We’ve seen downtown transform and new areas emerge. Every city has its own heart, and while we’ve experienced different places, we believe in Greensboro’s future. It’s going to keep growing over the next few years, and we want to be part of that.

How would you describe your time in the military?

Rafael Pineda: Many times, I would do it all over again. Serving my country is something I take a lot of pride in, and it was an honor to serve this nation.

Tell us about Oak Room in Reno and Charlotte, North Carolina.

Rafael Pineda: Oak Room in Reno and Charlotte are completely different brands. The one in Charlotte was created first, and there is no relationship between the two. The lease for the Charlotte location expired in December 2024, which gave me a lot of room to focus on another project—The Grand.

Before opening, what positions are you looking to fill?

We’re looking for all types of positions, from bartenders to servers, barbacks, content creators, promoters, event organizers, and all kinds of vendors, including beverage and food vendors.

What advice would you give to your former self?

Rafael Pineda: Never give up. Be persistent and chase your dreams until the end.

What other businesses do you own or plan on starting?

Rafael Pineda: When I lived in Reno, Nevada, I had an Airbnb business and also a Turo business, which focused on car rentals and hospitality. In the future, I plan to open a restaurant that provides international food to the community so people can experience different cultures. The car rental business has always interested me, so I see myself continuing in that field as well.

What do you have planned for Grand Opening Weekend?

Rafael Pineda: The grand opening weekend consists of four events, starting on March 20th with Omar Gooding. This will be a free comedy show running from 7 to 10 p.m. Then, we have a female artist from Mexico who sings reggaeton—her name is Jerry Moi. Her show will take place from 10:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. On Friday, March 21st, we have an artist from Los Angeles, California—OGC, a hip-hop artist from the duo Shoreline Mafia. On Saturday, March 22nd, we have Bad Bunny’s official DJ for our International Night. Lastly, on Sunday, March 23rd, we’re hosting the official afterparty for the Millennium Tour, hosted by Bow Wow and his friends. We’re hoping he will bring some of the other artists who are part of the tour. Besides the grand opening shows, we have other Latin shows coming up, including El Blanco, NGT, and Nivelle. These artists range from reggaeton to Mexican corridos to banda. We have many more shows in the works that we are very excited to announce—we’re just waiting for the right time.

What other events do you already have planned?

Jose Garcia: Other events we have planned? We have a Mexican group that’s actually local from Greensboro. They’ve grown so much, and now they’re very popular. We think that show is going to be huge. Oh yeah, we got El Blachi. He’s been growing a lot. It’s his first time here, his first time in North Carolina. That puts us in a spot where we’re bringing you guys the newest talent out there.

Eduardo Garcia: We also have an artist performing here for the first time in Greensboro, North Carolina—from the Dominican Republic.