Local businesses excited for a new Pirates season at PNC Park
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- There's a lot of excitement around this Pirates season and what the city has to offer around PNC Park, and businesses on the North Shore are preparing to welcome thousands of fans back to the 'Burgh on Friday!
KDKA's Jessica Guay stopped a few fan favorite spots to visit on gameday!
Opening day for the Pirates at PNC Park isn't just a big day for the Buccos, it's also a major day for businesses on Pittsburgh's North Shore.
"We're excited to just have everybody come back down, everybody gets really excited, Pittsburgh is a sports town obviously," said Kyle Lucas, General Manager from Voodoo Brewing Company's Pittsburgh Pub.
"Typically it's the best day in sales for the year. During the winter time we do everything to prepare for what essentially is the beginning of Summer for us," said Mike Sukitch, owner of Mike's Beer Bar and North Shore Tavern.
When it comes to baseball and beer, you can't go wrong with Mike's Beer Bar.
Sukitch says he's planning to welcome large crowds of people and even planning on opening early and adjusting their menu so customers don't have to wait.
"The summer of the six months of baseball do more than 60% of our sales for the year, so it is kind of a 'make or break' for a business that's right next to a ballpark, which is why spend all winter just staffing and doing everything we can to get prepared for it," Sukitch said.
On the other side of the ballpark, Voodoo Brewing Company's Pittsburgh Pub just opened in August.
General manager Kyle Lucas says they've been preparing for their first full Pirates season of business and hope that new customers will come by before and after ballgames to try their unique menu and their own beer that they brew in Meadville.
"We don't know what to expect with the Pirates season, but I hope that people come down and just hang out in North Shore in general before and after games," Lucas said. "Yeah, we'll like to see more business of course."
At Rally House on the North Shore, store manager Abbey Larotonda says they have a lot of new Buccos products and all week, fans have been stopping in to gear up for America's national pastime.
"We're really excited for the fans," Larotonda said. "We've had some months off since football ended and now we're really excited to see all the families come back for sports. We're really excited for McCutchen to be back and bringing us some wins hopefully."
While businesses are ahead of the game and ready for any curveballs, they're staying optimistic about this Pirates season.
"Well, I never try to base my business plan on their success, but of course I want to see their success," Sukitch said. "I am sure they are going to be better this year than they were last and would love to see somewhere close to 75, 80 games winning this year and see progress."
"As a long suffering 33-year-old, yes, I would like another winning season in my memory and in my lifetime, Lucas said." Lets go, Cutch is back, right? We're all here.
"I'm just hoping we can make a big turnaround and just bring all the spirit into winning this year, Larotonda said. "We've got some good players coming on board, so its time for a turnaround."
With the hope of a turnaround on the field, businesses are also hoping to knock it out of the park with their sales.