Bob Sullivan, of Thornberry's, will tell you there's no pressure cooker like working the restaurant on the night of a Stanley show.

“We probably wouldn't even really be here if it wasn't for the theatre, and so with the expansion of the theatre, it will guarantee our stability and help us to grow and become more of a downtown destination than we have in the past,” said Sullivan.

There's already growth just a block away, in one of the Stanley storefronts. Jason Nole and his team are very close to opening a brand new "tapas" style restaurant, called "Ancora.”

“We just want to be added to the community as one of those options, choices, like 257 Steakhouse and Thornberry's. We love to work together with people and that's why we want to keep going,” said Nole.

They're all here because of the Stanley. More than just a theatre, it's responsible for a $6 million economic injection every year.

“On average, say 2,000 people go downtown 150 nights a year. You suddenly get a tremendous influx of people, and you stretch the day, the time in which people use the downtown area,” said Ron Thiele.

Arts Council Director Ron Theile, and others, say the Stanley's impending expansion will only increase the opportunities for surrounding businesses to do well.

“With the completion of this project, we're going to add 50 percent more activities to the theatre because we can with the expansion, and all that plays a role in the dollars in the community,” said Gary Kavney.

WKTV hopes you join Justine Waldman and Andy Jenks for the Stanley Theatre Telethon this Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m., right here on Newschannel 2.