Local businesses unveiled new ventures at EXPO419, including a popular late-night diner’s food truck that plans to focus on fast eats and an indoor water park for dogs that hopes to make a splash in West Toledo.
More than 50 vendors lined the indoor turf at Sylvania Tam-O-Shanter on Saturday, advertising their businesses and hoping to attract new clients.
Several businesses are hoping the event can give a boost to their new offerings.
Andreas and Marios Kamilaris, brothers and owners of Night Owl Diner, staffed the restaurant’s food truck for its debut at the expo. They said the truck is an opportunity to spread the restaurant’s food across the area and test out new markets for their business.
“We’ve had this trailer for a while and never did anything with it, and then we finally decided that it was time to experiment and take it to different cities, see how places react, and then maybe expand Night Owl itself,” Andreas said.
The food truck will focus on fast eats, serving a limited menu of waffles and the brick-and-mortar restaurant’s signature owl fries and loaded fries.
Speed is key, the brothers said, and they hope to be a quick option for customers attending festivals and other events during the summer.
”You walk up to the window, and by the time you’re done ordering and cashed out, you’ll walk away with your food at the same time,” Andreas said. “We try to be as quick as possible, you know, a lot of food trucks take 10-15 minutes to get food.”
New waffle options will be offered each month. This month’s special is a St. Patrick’s Day waffle, topped with green sweet cream and Lucky Charms marshmallows.
“The waffles are more similar to Belgian waffles, they’re going to be thicker and they’re going to be savory,” Marios said. “It’s just kind of fun, ever-evolving stuff that is appealing to the eyes, and hopefully that draws people in.”
Night Owl’s food truck wasn’t the only business hoping to draw in its first customers at the event.
Caninballz, an indoor water park and daycare for dogs, is hoping to gain some footing in the community by exhibiting at the expo.
Jili Pierce, assistant manager at Caninballz, said the water park will have three pools, ball pits, and trampolines for the dogs when it opens this summer.
Dog parks are becoming more prevalent throughout the community. But Ms. Pierce said Caninballz hopes to fill a niche that provides play for dogs year-round.
“It’s really beneficial for dogs, a 30-minute swim is like a two hour walk to them,” Ms. Pierce said. “It’s kind of like dog therapy, they’re interacting with other dogs and tiring themselves out.”
It will also have a separate daycare area and a lounge for owners. Lifeguards and staff will watch the dogs, but Ms. Pierce said there will be an area for those who wish to stay dry and watch.
“The dogs are our clients, so the humans won’t be in the park with them, but you’ll still be able to outside the gated area to watch your dogs,” Ms. Pierce said.
The facility will be located at 4256 Secor Rd., the former West Toledo Knights of Columbus building. Day passes and membership options will be available when the water park opens, which will be announced on the business’s website.
First Published March 22, 2025, 10:10 p.m.
