Local businesses benefit from MSU’s home opening win
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Mississippi State’s Football Season is off to a good start this year, with 2 wins, including a home opener against the nationally ranked Arizona State Sun Devils.
And those home games mean more people coming to town.
Football season is an exciting time on the Mississippi State University campus and around Starkville and the surrounding area.
And the 2025 home opener against Arizona State didn’t disappoint.
Thousands of visitors poured into town, and business owners were celebrating a win of their own even before the Bulldogs beat the Sun Devils.
At Aerapas, a restaurant specializing in Venezuelan food and drinks, they said it’s always exciting during this time of the year.
“Taking into account the past years, and we kind of anticipate or have an idea what can happen, but we get surprised,” Jose Elarba said. “Thank God, it’s more every year, more people that we get coming into our doors, so we try, but still we have a lot of people coming in.”
And with the win on the field, many fans seized the opportunity to celebrate. And restaurants were happy to accommodate them.
Aerapa’s assistant general manager, Bailey Robinson, said it’s a special atmosphere for their business when the Bulldogs are winning on Saturdays.
“I think whenever we lose people just don’t want to stick around town,” Robinson said. “They’re just like let’s get out of here, let’s get out of Starkville, but I think when we are winning and we won the night before, they are in a good mood and they want to come out and eat, enjoy their little time in Starkville because they are not leaving in shame.”
The team at the restaurant was ready to go and at the top of its game, too.
“We all have fun but by Sunday we’re like tired, exhausted because basically we are here from Thursday-Sunday so we all stick together as team and that’s our main thing,” Elarba said. “Our customer service, we stand out for that, so we all focus on that and help each other so the service goes out smooth.”
“Everyone is very happy and willing to work,” Robinson said. “We all get along and there’s no like server drama here and there. We genuinely show up, do our jobs and enjoy every second of it.”
And, they won’t have much time to rest up. MSU is set to host its second home game this Saturday against Alcorn State.
Local business owners in Starkville said they are preparing for more huge crowds from the upcoming home games.
