SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) \u2014 Scranton’s Historic Ritz Theater is back on the market after two years. <\/p>\n
Listed for over two million dollars, the listing <\/a>boasts “an exceptional opportunity to own a piece of Scranton history.” <\/p>\n More than just a piece of history, The Ritz has become home to a hair salon, a meadery, an ice cream shop and a restaurant, and once housed a tattoo studio. <\/p>\n The man behind this entertainment ecosystem is Wilkes-Barre native Josh Balz. <\/p>\n \u201cI grew up here. I grew up in a trailer down the street. I came from nothing. I want to build that legacy. I want when people think of my name, they think of something great and creative and wonderful, and I want people to understand that I\u2019m just a normal dude. I want people to know I created these things for people to escape to just like I had,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n For many, that name is associated with his former band Motionless in White, where he served as the band’s keyboardist.<\/p>\n Performing in the band for a decade, his love for live music and entertainment led him to the Electric City. <\/p>\n In 2023, Balz purchased the Ritz theater as the majority owner and worked alongside a team to create a space housing more than just a stage. Now, nearly two years later to the day<\/a>, the building is back up for sale, although Balz says the time and energy put into the building\u2019s transformation won\u2019t go to waste.<\/p>\n \u201cI would never let it go into any kind of hands that would tarnish what we\u2019ve done. I think we\u2019ve built something great. My tiny team and I turned a building that no one went to, to a building tens of thousands of people have gone to,\u201d said Balz. <\/p>\n READ MORE | Former Ritz Theater manager charged with stealing over $74K in funds<\/a><\/p>\n