Johnny Grieco is building for the long run

a conversation with Chase & Alex

Eddie—better known as Spaced Out—understands the power of branding and world-building.

Kaleb Wesolek pushes his pen beyond convention

Johnny Grieco was born and raised in Las Vegas, a city most people only know through the Strip. Growing up, he watched Vegas change slowly—long before it became a destination for fashion, streetwear, or contemporary art. For years, creativity lived in the background, overshadowed by nightlife and tourism. But Grieco saw something else taking shape beneath the surface: community.

Street culture became his entry point. To Grieco, street culture isn’t just clothing—it’s hip-hop, music, sneakers, skateboarding, design, and self-expression, all operating under the same umbrella. As a kid in elementary school, his first obsession wasn’t skating tricks but logos and brands. He remembers teaching his entire fourth-grade class how to draw the Vans “Off the Wall” logo, not realizing then that branding would eventually define his life’s work.

By middle school, sneakers and early streetwear brands had taken over his world. At the time—around 2007 and 2008—Vegas’s streetwear scene was small and insular. There were only a few shops, and if you knew them, you were part of a quiet, unspoken club. Looking back, Grieco sees how rare that moment was. Fifteen years later, global retailers like Off-White and BAPE operate in the city—something he never could have imagined growing up. To him, that growth reflects the broader evolution of Vegas as a creative city.

At 17, Grieco launched his first clothing brand, Krucial (spelled with a “K”). It didn’t go viral. It didn’t blow up. But it gave him something far more important: real-world experience. He learned how to approach print shops, pitch stores, open wholesale conversations, and put himself in uncomfortable situations. That brand followed him for five years and even became his identity—“Johnny Krucial”—a nickname that stuck long after the brand itself faded.

During this time, Grieco attended UNLV, studying marketing. He didn’t love school, but he was disciplined. That discipline came from his upbringing—particularly from his father, who was deeply business-minded and instilled structure, responsibility, and long-term thinking early on. While college taught Grieco theory, it reinforced something more important: consistency.

After graduating, Grieco felt lost. Like many creatives, he assumed the next step was a corporate job. He tried. He shadowed positions. He applied. But nothing felt right. Then came Feature.

Feature was more than a job—it was an education. Despite having no retail experience, Grieco took an entry-level position just to get his foot in the door. The pay didn’t matter. What mattered was proximity. Over six years, he worked his way up to general manager, observing every decision: the wins, the mistakes, the growth pains. He treated the company as if it were his own, taking mental notes on everything.

Before Feature, Grieco worked as a receptionist at his family’s cosmetology school—a job he didn’t enjoy, but one that taught him elite customer service. That experience became invaluable later, especially when transitioning into high-end retail and managing demanding clientele.

Behind the scenes, Grieco was preparing for independence. When he launched Krucial, he opened a separate business bank account—and never closed it. From age 18 to 29, he deposited 10% of every paycheck into that account. No matter the amount. For nearly a decade, he quietly stacked money, believing one day it would give him the freedom to start something of his own.

That moment came through a conversation with his barber—who is also his brother-in-law. The question was simple: Why aren’t you doing this for yourself? That conversation led to another with Cynthia, his then-girlfriend, now wife. Her response was emotional and immediate: You have support. Do it.

Walking away from Feature wasn’t easy. By the time Grieco left, he was a general manager with a clear career path. But he also knew the longer he stayed, the harder it would be to leave. When he finally resigned, he had saved $20,000 in his business account—money that funded his first year in business. His personal savings became his lifeline as he reinvested every dollar back into the brand.

Today, Grieco’s work exists at the intersection of art, design, and utility. Vinyl hoops, stained glass, home goods, and spatial curation reflect not trends, but intention. His goal has never been to be defined by one medium. He wants range. He wants longevity. He wants to build something generational—something he can one day pass on to his future children.

Faith plays a central role in his journey. Grieco speaks openly about stress, financial pressure, and the quiet fear behind entrepreneurship. But he believes timing matters. Not going viral early gave him the space to build a foundation strong enough to sustain growth. Patience, he says, isn’t passive—it’s preparation.

Inspired by figures like Virgil Abloh, Tyrell Winston, Shawn Brown, Joshua Vides, and Kid Cudi, Grieco experienced a defining moment when, after committing fully to his path, he met several of his longtime inspirations face-to-face within months. To him, it wasn’t coincidence—it was confirmation.

For Grieco, success isn’t about speed or geography. It’s about consistency, discipline, and trust. Vegas didn’t need to become New York or Los Angeles. It just needed people willing to build where they were planted.

And Grieco is just getting started.