With Epic Universe set to officially open Thursday, businesses in the area are hoping it will bring more customers with it.Pizza Xtreme has been a spot to get a slice on South Kirkman Road for a long time. “I have been here for 24 years this November,” said owner Ann Marie LeFler. She says she’s seen the area change quite a bit. “Just with traffic and customers and regulars in the last 23, 24 years. It’s been crazy,” she said.Her pizza shop is just down the road from Epic Universe, about a six-minute drive. With the park opening Thursday, she expects more changes are in store. She’s expecting more customers coming through. “I think it’s going to be a very, very busy weekend,” LeFler said. ” I really think it’s going to start to pick up this weekend and just carry through the summer. And hopefully through the year.”Over at Sushi Yama on Grand National Drive, they say they’ve already started to see a lot of customers coming in from Epic Universe previews. “Already with the people that are there for media already seeing them almost every day,” said manager Kailani Bogeajis. “We have a lot of Universal Employees who come in and dine with us, and they tell us little sneak peeks about it. But I would expect it to increase even more.”While there are plenty of places to eat in the park and at the resorts, both businesses say some customers head their way, hoping to spend a little less. “If they’re tourists that come back year after year, we see a lot of the same faces. If they’re in Orlando, they generally will stop in because they are looking for a better deal than how expensive it is at the resorts,” LeFler said. She’s hoping Thursday will be the start of a good bump in business. “I think it’s going to bring a lot more people to the international drive, to the Universal area. I think it’s going to be very, very good for the small businesses.”
With Epic Universe set to officially open Thursday, businesses in the area are hoping it will bring more customers with it.
Pizza Xtreme has been a spot to get a slice on South Kirkman Road for a long time.
“I have been here for 24 years this November,” said owner Ann Marie LeFler. She says she’s seen the area change quite a bit.
“Just with traffic and customers and regulars in the last 23, 24 years. It’s been crazy,” she said.
Her pizza shop is just down the road from Epic Universe, about a six-minute drive. With the park opening Thursday, she expects more changes are in store. She’s expecting more customers coming through.
“I think it’s going to be a very, very busy weekend,” LeFler said. ” I really think it’s going to start to pick up this weekend and just carry through the summer. And hopefully through the year.”
Over at Sushi Yama on Grand National Drive, they say they’ve already started to see a lot of customers coming in from Epic Universe previews.
“Already with the people that are there for media already seeing them almost every day,” said manager Kailani Bogeajis. “We have a lot of Universal Employees who come in and dine with us, and they tell us little sneak peeks about it. But I would expect it to increase even more.”
While there are plenty of places to eat in the park and at the resorts, both businesses say some customers head their way, hoping to spend a little less.
“If they’re tourists that come back year after year, we see a lot of the same faces. If they’re in Orlando, they generally will stop in because they are looking for a better deal than how expensive it is at the resorts,” LeFler said.
She’s hoping Thursday will be the start of a good bump in business.
“I think it’s going to bring a lot more people to the international drive, to the Universal area. I think it’s going to be very, very good for the small businesses.”