Businesses along East Ohio Street and Western Avenue anticipate massive foot and vehicular traffic during the NFL draft.East Ohio Street will become a major throughway for traffic exiting East Street off Interstate 279, creating high visibility for the businesses there.Western Avenue is within walking distance of the NFL Draft Village on the North Shore, so several businesses are planning events, menu items, and draft-themed operations to accommodate visitors.Villagio Boutique Hotel will host its own draft block party in its courtyard and cigar bar.”We’re going to do Italian street food and some specialty cocktails, some themed cocktails, so we’re having fun working up a special menu for that,” Villagio owner Jessica Taimuty said.A couple of doors away, the folks inside Peppi’s Old Tyme Sandwich Shoppe are gearing up as well. The menu will be reduced to keep the flow of customers moving. That includes selling subs on the sidewalk.”They’ll be on the sidewalk. We’ll have a little music going. We’re going to be selling some swag,” Peppi’s owner Jeff Trebac said.Across the street, Colombino Coffee is whipping up a black-and-gold themed menu item with their golden empanadas and dark ice-brewed coffee. The cold brew is made in their tower with a 12-hour, slow-drip process.”We are so, so excited. We’ve been waiting forever. I feel like we’ve been getting ready for it for the past month at this point,” Colombino barista Paula Plazan said. “All of North Side is going to be pretty busy.”City Council member Bobby Wilson, representing the North Side, said local business owners want to make a lasting impression for the neighborhood.”They want to show people to come back too afterwards. I think they want to say, ‘Hey, we know how to make a good sandwich or a good pizza pie right on the North Side here.’ If you’re at least somewhat local, come on back,” Wilson said.

PITTSBURGH —

Businesses along East Ohio Street and Western Avenue anticipate massive foot and vehicular traffic during the NFL draft.

East Ohio Street will become a major throughway for traffic exiting East Street off Interstate 279, creating high visibility for the businesses there.

Western Avenue is within walking distance of the NFL Draft Village on the North Shore, so several businesses are planning events, menu items, and draft-themed operations to accommodate visitors.

Villagio Boutique Hotel will host its own draft block party in its courtyard and cigar bar.

“We’re going to do Italian street food and some specialty cocktails, some themed cocktails, so we’re having fun working up a special menu for that,” Villagio owner Jessica Taimuty said.

A couple of doors away, the folks inside Peppi’s Old Tyme Sandwich Shoppe are gearing up as well. The menu will be reduced to keep the flow of customers moving. That includes selling subs on the sidewalk.

“They’ll be on the sidewalk. We’ll have a little music going. We’re going to be selling some swag,” Peppi’s owner Jeff Trebac said.

Across the street, Colombino Coffee is whipping up a black-and-gold themed menu item with their golden empanadas and dark ice-brewed coffee. The cold brew is made in their tower with a 12-hour, slow-drip process.

“We are so, so excited. We’ve been waiting forever. I feel like we’ve been getting ready for it for the past month at this point,” Colombino barista Paula Plazan said. “All of North Side is going to be pretty busy.”

City Council member Bobby Wilson, representing the North Side, said local business owners want to make a lasting impression for the neighborhood.

“They want to show people to come back too afterwards. I think they want to say, ‘Hey, we know how to make a good sandwich or a good pizza pie right on the North Side here.’ If you’re at least somewhat local, come on back,” Wilson said.