VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WVEC) -- College Beach Weekend is April 27, 28 and 29 and businesses are getting prepared.
It's the calm before the storm of 40,000 college students.
With almost an entire menu under $10, the 18th Street Grill is the perfect place for college kids to eat. Wes Dew said that's what worries him.
"These kids come down here they lose their mind," said Dew. "You have people running behind the counter, or all over your restaurant."
It's these exact shenanigans that have some businesses deciding to close early, or not even open up at all.
"I wouldn't go to your town and do that, so why would you come to the Oceanfront and do it. It seems like you are being taken advantage of a little bit," said Dew.
According to Oceans 14's waiter, John Nugent, this is the most challenging weekend of the year for many servers.
"Last year, I think I had about three groups of people run out on considerable tabs like $30 to $60 they've run out on," said Nugent.
Last year during College Beach Weekend, four people were shot, and another was stabbed. Oceans 14 said they are lucky to even make a profit because the students mainly scare away the vacationing families and locals they depend on.
"It just kind of gives Virginia Beach a bad image, so people try not to be a part of it by staying inside, staying away from the beachfront," said Nugent.
However, Hugo Fronseca of OMG Everything said he's been waiting for College Beach Weekend all winter.
"At the end of the day, there are 40,000 people coming to Virginia Beach right? I mean the last two weeks have been kind of cold, so business is not as good as it could have been," said Fronseca.
Fronseca sells everything from vapes to smoothies. He'll accept 18, 19 and 20-year-olds with open arms.
"They are still coming here with money to spend and we think for us, for our business, that will be a good thing," said Fonseca.
Then there is Justin Lacon, of Diamond Resorts, who sells pricey excursions to vacationing families.
"I'm going to have to look really hard through the crowd just to find those perfect families," said Lacon.
Lacon is afraid this may go down as a lost weekend when it comes to selling things like golf outings and cruises.
"It could definitely hurt business because a lot of people don't want to be out here with the younger kids, the younger crowd, they don't want to be out here dealing with that," said Lacon.
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