“In NEPA, there are two professional sports teams. There are tons of parks. I can go kayaking 15 minutes from my house. And the food is unlike anything else I’ve ever had.”
Gene Axton grew up in Daisytown, a sleepy community in southwest Pennsylvania just 30 miles west of Pittsburg. His origin isn’t so different from ours here in NEPA, despite the 200+ miles between us. When his grandfather returned home from World War II, he got a job in the coal mines and lived in company housing, where Gene grew up. Along with his parents, his grandparents played a huge role in his upbringing.
He attended California School District, graduating in a class of only 70 students, and went on to attend California University of Pennsylvania (today, Pennsylvania Western University, California). He dreamed of becoming a school teacher but decided a history degree was a better fit. And as an avid reader throughout his childhood, Gene found himself gravitating toward the newsroom in college, which parlayed to freelance writing at local newspapers after graduation.
A hometown buddy moved to NEPA to work for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and after a visit, Gene fell in love with the area. So much so, he took a job as a features writer with the Times Leader, focusing on arts and entertainment at The Weekender. Today, as Marketing Associate at the F.M. Kirby Center, Gene is at the forefront of bringing arts, culture, bands and entertainment to Northeastern Pennsylvania.
We sat down in the opulent Kirby Center lobby to chat with Gene about life in NEPA. Fun Fact: A lifetime gamer, Gene met his fiancée, Natasha, while both were playing Pokémon Go! in downtown Wilkes-Barre. He shared with us his passion for our robust arts scene, of course, we talked pizza, and we had to know, Why NEPA?
How long have you lived in NEPA?
Since 2015, so nine years, almost 10. Wow!
What do you love about your town?
I love that Duryea is so accessible to so many different things. It’s kind of at the end of the valley, so, if I want to come down to Wilkes-Barre for something, I can. If I want to go explore the Scranton area, I can do that just as easily.
When I moved here, I had such an appreciation for how close everything is. Every town has its own grocery store, its own gas station, its own little community. And it feels like something separate from the town just down the road. So, that’s one of this areas’ strengths. That’s what really turned me on to NEPA, coming from such a small community.
What’s your favorite NEPA restaurant?
Oh jeez. If I’m going pure pizza, it’s Lizza’s in the junction between Pittston and Duryea. If I’m going overall experience, drinks included, I’ve just had too many great memories at Breaker Brewing Company.
What’s your favorite thing to do in NEPA?
I really like exploring new restaurants and breweries. I still haven’t tried all the pizza in the area. That’s my end goal. And I don’t get to do it nearly enough, but I really like going kayaking at Frances Slocum.
What’s next for you?
I really like it at the F.M. Kirby Center. When I first moved here, I did a story at The Weekender on the F.M. Kirby Center and I sat in this lobby and spoke to former Marketing Director, Ann Rodella about it. And she had me fall in love with the place. I never thought that I’d end up working here, but somehow it happened. I like it here. I like our team here. And I like where we’re growing and where we’re going.
Where do you see NEPA heading in the future?
It’s strange. When I go back to Pittsburgh and visit, it feels like a completely different city because in the last 10 years it’s been revitalized and changed. But it feels very different. Whereas, I’ve seen this area grow and change since I’ve been here and it still feels the same because the people here have a passion for it and the people here have a passion for supporting the community. There’re so many small businesses. It’s something that I didn’t see back home. Maybe it’s because of where I grew up, but even when I would venture into the city, I didn’t see this many small businesses thriving. That’s a testament to this community. I see this area growing but not losing what makes it special.
Why NEPA?
Community. 100%. Each tiny town has its own identity but they band together and create something extremely special. I’ve lived in different states. I’ve seen different places. But I’ve never seen a place quite like this.
