Photo by Jessica N. Rex Tom Pellegrino takes a rare moment to relax at his creekside property. Remaining active in business meanwhile building a legacy that goes beyond that, he is reaching out into the community to promote togetherness through outdoor family fun.

While Tom Pellegrino is best known for the successful company he grew alongside his father, he is dedicated to a mission to unite the community and restore the authentic family-centric connections of the past.

Growing up in Warren and part of a large graduating class of more than double that in recent years, Pellegrino said that the Class of 1975 was the baby boomer generation at its peak. Boomers are classified as those born between 1946 to 1964 whose contributions continue to shape society, leaving a lasting legacy rooted in family values and work ethic.

“You’re meeting a byproduct of a phenomenal Mom and Dad,” Pellegrino said, crediting his parents with instilling in him the values of hard work, loyalty, and deep family and community connections.

His mother, the late Angela Pellegrino, lived a long life of 98 years, sharing 62 years of marriage with Anthony Pellegrino, who passed away in 2012. The family business roots trace back to just after World War II, founded when Anthony Pellegrino returned from service as a decorated Army infantry soldier.

Married to wife Sally for nearly 40 years, Tom Pellegrino describes her as a phenomenal wife and mother. Together they have three adult children: Thomas Pellegrino Jr., Joseph Pellegrino and Maria Pellegrino Messinger; as well as three grandchildren all residing in Warren. Raised with values that emphasized hard work and responsibility, Pellegrino notes that he sees those same traits in his own children today.

FINDING CREATIVITY

Following high school, Pellegrino attended the business school at Baldwin Wallace College, he found himself ahead of schedule to graduate and was eager to work with his father right away. However, his father encouraged him to complete the full amount of time in college believing that the full experience was vital for developing the maturity and perspective needed to shape his future.

During those remaining college years, although Pellegrino was an athlete, he discovered an unexpected creative side after enrolling in a pottery class. He showed so much promise that his professor strongly encouraged him to pursue a Master of Fine Arts at Alfred University. Deeply grateful for the encouragement, ultimately he chose to return home after graduating in 1980 to support his parents’ business. His true passion was helping his family achieve success, a choice that led to a fulfilling 35-year partnership working right alongside his father. To ensure Tom never lost touch with his art, his father bought him all the supplies he needed to keep potting, offering the ultimate encouragement: “Son, if you have that in you, you can’t stop doing it.”

Pellegrino recalled a pivotal moment when that same professor asked the class who influenced their work. Pellegrino responded, “Why in the world would I want anyone to influence my creative mind?” The professor revealed that this fiercely independent mindset was exactly what he was trying to encourage. Crediting this lesson to how he has approached both his life and his business ever since, Pellegrino considers that pottery course the most important class he took during his time at Baldwin Wallace, noting that it opened a creative path he never knew he had – a discovery he still finds unbelievable.

“I think it was really God’s wish to have me take that class,” reflected Pellegrino.

His father’ s encouragement shaped his accomplishments. Today, he enjoys stepping into his studio with absolutely no influence or distractions, allowing the freedom to see what pours out of his creative spirit. Pellegrino explained that someday he’d like people to go into a show to experience his work just for the admiration of spontaneous creation. For him, the true reward is the pure enjoyment of the art, rather than the sale of it.

“When I want to be creative I dive into my studio and I don’t know what’s going to come out of the lump of clay I use.” A piece he is currently finishing, titled “Distraction,” reflects his desire to encourage people to live in a way that minimizes distractions from life’s natural pleasures. Saying that a creative mind should not be wasted with being on social media too much. While he acknowledges that technology has its benefits, he believes that people are overly distracted by it. He notes a decline in essential skills, specifically face-to-face communication and a positive work ethic. Too much technology is preventing them from living full lives and not reaching their full potential.

BUILDING A BUSINESS

Years ago, Pellegrino bought 10 acres along the Conewango Creek and spent 18 years transforming the land into a venue known as the Pellegrino’s Creekside Pavilion. While only a glimpse of the property can be seen from Conewango Avenue as drivers pass by, those who attend the public events discover another one of Warren’s hidden gems. Visitors will find several scenic spots to take in all the beauty of the area.

In June, the first Jazz Fest was celebrated, and over the recent Fourth of July holiday, Warrenstock brought in a big crowd.

“Come down and leave your smartphone in the car and just enjoy your family. My thing is I just want people to celebrate family”

Offering inexpensive meals in a family friendly atmosphere where people can enjoy outdoor music and activities, the space is a backyard for community events.

“The bottom line is, pretend like it’s your backyard. Come down and be human,” he said.

Celebrating his 50th year in Pellegrino food company, Pellegrino said that while that is great, this new adventure with the “backyard” is the frosting on the cake. Giving customers the vehicle to engage in a meaningful celebration, the venue has been used for music festivals, weddings, reunions and a celebration of life.

“I try to create a private place for people and families,” he said. Not only does Pellegrino offer the space for such events, but he takes care of all the stressful points such as providing the food, a bartender, hors d’oeuvres, and cooking.

The property features several fire pits, swings and open spaces designed for audiences to comfortably enjoy outdoor music. In total, the venue boasts three structures, highlighted by the majestic “Cathedral of Rock.” Built two years ago for summer concerts, this massive pavilion was constructed by Amish craftsmen in just two weeks. Demonstrating a commitment to local materials, the lumber was sourced from just three miles away, while the robust metal framework features custom structural trusses fabricated by ADM welding.

During Matt Chimenti’s short time as event coordinator/food manager, he noted that the one thing that stands out is Pellegrino’s energy.

“He’s always working on multiple projects at once and somehow he’s smiling through it all. It really is rare to see him sit down because he’s constantly finding ways to improve the property and make the experience better for everyone,” Chimenti said.

Chimenti shared that he has been given what he considers an opportunity of a lifetime.

“I’ve always dreamed of running a food booth and getting the chance to do that at a concert venue. I’m totally grateful to be part of what he’s building and it’s been exciting to watch the transformation of the Cathedral of Rock and Pellegrino’s Creekside Pavilion. I’m very thankful to be a part of it and look forward to seeing it continue to grow.”

Just recently, a very pleased customer thanked them for the hard work and dedication that went into an event in a review posted online commending Pellegrino and Chimenti for saving an event on just three weeks’ notice. The venture provided the pavilion, flawless full service catering, and a menu featuring crowd pleasing food. She noted the seamless experience as being highly economical compared to renting elsewhere with outside vendors, and transformed a high-stress situation into a beautiful success.

Several of the community events are free or of minimal cost.

“I am not grabbing money here,” Pellegrino continued, “I don’t want people to come down to spend $100 on dinner. I want them to come down and spend $22 on dinner, eat phenomenal food, listen to great music and sit here for three hours and just say, ‘We gotta go do that again, that was amazing.'”

WALKING THROUGH LIFE

Emphasizing his goal to preserve a space that showcases raw, natural beauty, in order to achieve this, Pellegrino intends to construct an architecturally designed pond and a few rock fountains, all while keeping with the venue’s simple, breath-of-fresh-air atmosphere. Maybe one day, visitors will discover some of his pottery around the premises, should he decide to display it there.

Rather than relying on a rigid blueprint, the preference is to continue to mold the venue. After spending years managing the business side of things, his true joy now comes from bringing people together and watching families and friends simply enjoy life. With the backing of the community, the goal is to grow the property entirely debt-free, keeping the environment stress-free while looking forward to hosting massive events and big names in the future.

He and his father built the Pellegrino Food Products business together, by diving in with fortitude, work ethic and sweat equity. Throughout its history, Pellegrino’s has remained a family‒owned, values‒driven business, building long‒term relationships with major food manufacturers and retailers across the U.S.

Pellegrino shared, “I’ve done all the business side of things. I want to show people how beautiful talking to human beings is, and interacting, walking through life the old fashioned way.”