KISSIMMEE, Florida. – When WKMG announced it was heading to Kissimmee, we asked what we should report on in its community.
Keri Woody said we should focus on the impact of tourism on the region.
ZIP code 34744 is surrounded by theme parks.
Even though they’re not technically in the zip code, SeaWorld and Disney parks are to the north and northeast of the area.
[RELATED: WKMG HITS THE ROAD! FIND OUT WHAT NEIGHBORHOODS WE ARE VISITING]
The closest theme parks to the zip are Fun Spot USA and Old Town.
News 6 learned that Old Town has a long history in the area, according to Old Town General Manager Thearon Scurlock.
“Next year we’re celebrating 40 years,” Scurlock told News 6. “Before Old Town, there really wasn’t anything in this area in Kissimmee in general. It was very new to the area.”
Scurlock has been in charge of the entertainment complex for nearly a decade. He says that unique footprint continues today with 18 acres of entertainment, six attractions, including a Ferris wheel, and 67 tenants on the property.
“A lot of people connect with the Old City. When I meet people, they always tell me they’ve been to the Old Town. ‘Oh my God, Old Town. Are you still doing car shows?;” Scurlock said.
The weekly car shows are extremely popular. Fridays are Muscle Cars. The classic car shows that take place every Saturday attract people from all over Central Florida and have been running for 36 years.
“A lot of people come from the surrounding areas, about half of our clientele is local,” Scurlock said. “And we’ve never missed a Sabbath in 36 years.”
Another thing that makes the property unique is that many retailers also live in the area, according to Scurlock.
“Old Town has no national retailers. Therefore, all of our retailers are family-owned. So everyone who works in their stores lives here, lives in the area and supports the area,” Scurlock said.
Its newest tenant, El Cilantrillo restaurant, has three other locations in the Orlando area, but owner Hiram Turull says he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to open another in Old Town.
“Ever since I was a teenager, my grandparents came to Cidade Velha. This is a landmark in Florida,” Turull told News 6.
But bring your appetite, as the name in English means home of the overeater, according to Turull.
“We sell exaggerated portions,” he said.
“There are a lot of tourists who visit Old Town every year but have never visited Puerto Rico, so this is a great showcase of our Puerto Rican cuisine,” Turull said.
They promise the food is as popular as the fireworks that take place every year in Old Town on the Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve.
“Our idea here in Old Town is that we want them to be ambassadors for Puerto Rican food,” Turull said.
Old Town is open daily from 11am to 11pm
Check out the Florida foodie podcast. You can find all episodes in the media player below:
Copyright 2024 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.
