Businesses in Old Town Clovis prepare for crowds as the Clovis Rodeo returns

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- Thousands of people will make their way to the annual Clovis Rodeo, which kicks off Wednesday night.

All this week, businesses in Old Town Clovis have been bracing for the rush.

The banners are up and the boots, belts and cowboy hats are out in Old Town Clovis.

Businesses have signs up, welcoming the crowds.

They've say they've been preparing for this event.

"Even like a month out, as we look for catering events, we're like 'Yo, we need all hands on deck, in the shop.'" said Kuppa Joy Assistant General Manager McKenna Gilman.

Gilman says the Clovis location is one of their busiest and they'll start preparing some items ahead of time.

That way, they can continue to serve customers in a timely manner.

"We do stock up on everything we need. We do prep a little bit of hot chocolate, a little bit of coffee knowing our crowd may go to those first," Gilman said.

Retail shops say the rodeo doesn't tend to change the number of customers they see.

But at Neighbors Old Town Clovis, drinks were flowing and hot food was hitting the tables at lunch Wednesday.

Ashley Anderson says they'll have multiple people working to handle the crowds.

"We have the best staff that we have possible because it's go, go, go from open to close," Anderson said.

Families have already reserved their tables on the fenced-in patio for the parade Saturday morning.

"So they have a safe environment for the kids to watch the parade, they can eat, drink and enjoy it and they know they're safe and they're comfortable," said Anderson.

The businesses say they're eagerly awaiting the rush of customers the rodeo will bring in.

"The sales go up. The revenue comes up. More people get to hear about us, more word of mouth goes around, it's a recipe for perfection," said Anderson.

These businesses say they're grateful for the rush of people especially since the last couple of years have been challenging with the pandemic.

They say they're happy to see everyone but are also asking people to be patient because it's likely going to be very busy.