BUFFALO WINGS AND BEER SELECTS THE SHOPS AT BRETON BAY FOR TENTH LOCATION IN MARYLAND AREA
Founder Ira Levy combines love of sports with passion for wings to create restaurant chain that places emphasis on “fun”
Owings Mills, MD (October 6, 2006) – Buffalo Wings and Beer – a restaurant concept that is equal parts food, entertainment and beer – has signed a lease with Greenberg Gibbons Commercial Corporation for 3600 square feet of space at The Shops at Breton Bay, a 100,000 square foot retail center in Leonardtown, Maryland. The location, which is expected to be operational by year-end, will be the restaurant’s tenth in the Maryland region.
Founder Ira Levy was looking for a venue that could combine his “love of sports with his passion for wings” when, in 1995, he opened his first Buffalo Wings and Beer in Gaithersburg. More than a decade later, the restaurant can be found in towns and cities including Darnestown, Frederick and St. Mary’s, while also supplying an endless supply of chicken wings to football fans attending games at FedEx field.
“Our restaurant filled a need I saw for a fun place to go to watch sporting events with some friends, while enjoying great food at reasonable prices,” explained Levy, who fashions himself as a “hot sauce” connoisseur. In fact, after experimenting with various recipes and utilizing his friends at test subjects, Buffalo Wings and Beer now offers thirteen different sauces such as Rooster, Teriyaki and Cajun (as well as others that cannot be repeated here). The restaurant highly recommends the “combining” of sauces for a unique taste.
While wings and sauces are the main draw, Buffalo Wings and Beer is also proud of its varied menu that includes homemade soups, sandwiches, salads hamburgers and crab cakes. Patrons can entertain themselves by watching the “big” football game of the day, or by throwing darts or playing pool.
“It is not uncommon or unusual to see people dressed in business suits sidled at the bar next to a construction worker that just came from the jobsite,” Levy added. So many of the restaurant’s customer base have become friends of Levy that he decided to close the chain on the day of his wedding several years ago. “Maybe, on some level, I was afraid of the choice my friends would make between the two,” he laughed.
“Locally owned and operated restaurants provide a shopping center with character and sense of uniqueness, and we are always in search of new concepts that we can integrate within our projects,” stated Brian Gibbons, President and CEO of Greenberg Gibbons Commercial. “The management team of Buffalo Wings and Beer has a strong track record of success and has found a niche with its casual atmosphere, sports theme and emphasis on reasonably-priced food,” he added.
Located approximately seven miles from Patuxent River Naval Station, The Shops at Breton Bay is anchored by Tru Value Hardware and World Gym, as well as four pad sites.
“The Shops at Breton Bay is a true neighborhood shopping center – as it primarily services the needs of consumers living in the immediate vicinity of Leonardtown – and we have tailored our leasing strategy accordingly,” stated Erwin L. Greenberg, Chairman of the Board of Greenberg Gibbons Commercial. “The result is a complementary mix of restaurants and service retailers that has been extremely well-received and supported by St. Mary’s County residents,” he added.
“The commitment of the developer to improve the center was a major reason why we signed this lease,” explained Ira Levy, who indicated that five more Buffalo Wings and Beer restaurants would be operational locally by first quarter 2007.
“Greenberg Gibbons’ recent revitalization effort proved to us that they care deeply about the success of the center and each merchant, and we know we can depend on them to be supportive business partners. They have demonstrated the willingness to work with us, rather than against us,” he said.
Greenberg Gibbons Commercial, which was founded in 1968, focuses on the acquisition, development, leasing and management of mixed-use properties and retail shopping centers in the Mid-Atlantic region. The firm builds value in these holdings through asset management, re-development and leasing activities. The company presently owns and manages eighteen properties totaling more than three million square feet of space.
For additional information, Contact:
Greenberg Gibbons Commercial Corporation 410-559-2500
Larry Lichtenauer, LH&A 410-833-6205
