A franchisee of Buffalo Wild Wings Inc. is building in downtown Brea what is set to be the largest restaurant for the Minneapolis-based chain.
At 12,300 square feet, the restaurant will be nearly double the size of a typical Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar, which serves chicken wings, sandwiches and other food and beer in a sports bar setting.
The restaurant will be the only two-story one in the chain other than Buffalo Wild Wings’ flagship near Ohio State University, where the founders of Buffalo Wild Wings Inc. once lived.
“The location in Brea is unique,” said Chris Paphites, co-franchisee of the restaurant.
Paphites and his partner plan to open about 15 restaurants in Orange County and seven in Riverside County in the next four years.
The Buffalo Wild Wings chain has more than 700 restaurants across the country, most run by franchisees.
In OC Paphites and his partner have Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants in Buena Park and Mission Viejo. One is planned in Aliso Viejo.
In Brea, plans call for a rooftop patio, which would be the only one within the chain, as well as high-definition TVs, projection screens and a full bar.
The restaurant is going into a 6,800-square-foot space that used to house a Norwalk Furniture store. The rooftop patio adds an additional 5,500 square feet.
Construction is under way on the building with the restaurant set to open some time in late December or January.
Cost, Unique Features
The improvements are estimated at about $3 million.
Paphites said he hopes the rooftop patio, with a bar, fire pit, gazebo and seating, will draw a wider crowd than the 18- to 44-year-old guys a typical Buffalo Wild Wings attracts.
Plans are to hire 175 to 200 employees in Brea, about a third more than a typical Buffalo Wild Wings.
The partners declined to say what they expect the restaurant to do in sales in its first year. A typical Buffalo Wild Wings sees $3.5 million to $4 million annually in sales.
The challenge for the partners is to do better than a typical restaurant with their larger space. Babick said he believes the first floor alone in Brea will be on par with what a typical Buffalo Wild Wings does.
The idea for a rooftop patio came from building owner Dwight Manley, a developer, coin collector and former sports agent.
Other Buildings
Manley owns other commercial buildings in the area. He said he sees the bigger Buffalo Wild Wings as part of downtown Brea’s transition from shops and restaurants to more nightlife entertainment.
Manley is funding part of the restaurant’s construction costs. He declined to say how much he’s spending but said his share is “above and beyond any normal landlord-tenant lease that’s out there.”
Buffalo Wild Wings fits with what Manley said he’d like to see in the rest of downtown, which in the 1990s was redeveloped from a sleepy area into a hub of stores, restaurants and apartments.
“I want that unique special item” in downtown, Manley said. “If it’s going to be a traditional franchise, I want it to be a unique destination.”
