Anchor Bar signed a deal with a new franchisee this week. Brothers Michael and Tony Schiappa have been in the franchise business for over 20 years and now they will open their own Anchor Bar location in Williamsville.
Anchor Bar owners Frank and Teressa Bellissimo first opened the “Home of the Original" chicken wing in 1935 and invented the chicken wing in 1964.
Anchor Bar in Williamsville franchise president Michael Schiappa says they will now be opening the Anchor Bar franchise on the corner of Sheridan Drive and Transit Road. He says they’re looking forward to sharing the story of the birth of the chicken wing.
“It’s going to be the same great food you can get downtown. What’s going to differentiate it is going to be the style and look of the restaurant. We’re going for more of a modern look, rather than the traditional look. But, it will still have a lot of the similar aspects and attributes, the license plates, the older feel of the restaurant downtown. We’re extremely excited to start the new venture. We think it’s a great franchise with great wings and we’re excited to get going,” said Schiappa.
The Williamsville restaurant is anticipated to employ 25 to 30 people, including 4 managers, and be open 11 a.m. until 12 p.m. 7 days a week. It will be 4,200-square-feet in size and seat 130 people. But, the new Anchor Bar franchise is causing a lot of controversy among wing lovers as it will be located right down street from Duff’s Famous Wings inside the Eastern Hills Mall. Duff’s co-owner Greg Duell says he was surprised to hear Anchor Bar is moving in.
“We are very confident in our product and what we produce here. We have great food and great service at this location, and all the Duff’s locations, but what I think is going to happen is you’ll see our following show up. They have their following and we have our following. We have a lot of fans and I think that they’ll turn up for this interesting experience we’ll have,” said Duell.
Duell says he believes the new Anchor Bar might take a little business away from Duff’s initially, but he says they welcome the competition. Schiappa says however, people can get chicken wings anywhere and everyone’s going to have their favorites no matter what.
“We’re hoping that they’re going to take a liking to our wings. I think a lot of people around town haven’t had a chance to try the Anchor Bar’s wings, because of the accessibility issue, so I think that bringing it to a closer, more convenient location is going to help out quite a bit,” said Schiappa.
Anchor Bar has three other franchises. They include restaurants in Ontario, Canada, Darien Lake, and inside the Buffalo Niagara International Airport. The new location will make five, including the original restaurant on Main Street in Buffalo.
Vice President of Anchor Bar Franchise & Development Company Mark Dempsey says the new location will make it more convenient for people in the suburbs to get a taste of all Anchor Bar has to offer.
“Everybody is familiar with the Anchor Bar, but maybe they don’t get a chance to get out there as much as they would like with this location it will help that process. It will also help bring it to local neighborhoods and local communities there. We’re looking to be an active member in the community and grow the brand that way. So, we’re excited and we wait for it to open,” said Dempsey.
Dempsey says Anchor Bar is currently working on bringing other franchises across the country and abroad. The new Williamsville Anchor Bar location is expected to open its doors in October 2014.