Wings Etc. franchise location to open in Salem, Virginia, in 2025

This is the first location in the state for the brand, which has 81 restaurants in the Midwest and South

FORT WAYNE, Ind.—Wings Etc. Grill & Pub has confirmed that franchisees Justin and Christy Lindsey plan to open a Wings Etc. location in Salem, Virginia. It will be the first Wings Etc. restaurant in the state.

The 4,500-square-foot location at 260 Wildwood Road is expected to open in April 2025. The Lindseys are renovating an existing structure with the help of architects from 5 Design LLC and G&H Contracting. The new restaurant will feature a patio.

The Lindseys are familiar figures in the region. Justin practices internal medicine at Star City Medical in Salem; Christy is the owner and Justin is the medical director of The Weigh Station, a center for physician-managed weight loss, also in Salem. The couple first discovered Wings Etc. while Justin was working as a hospitalist in Marietta, Ohio, during the pandemic and serving on the board of health for the City of Marietta and the Town of Belpre, Ohio.

The “Big Flavor” of the items that the Lindseys found on the menu there, as well as the family friendly sports bar atmosphere, were compelling. Wings Etc. is known for its award-winning jumbo wings, as well as its 22 signature sauces and rubs. Wings Etc. restaurants are also a popular place to watch sports—often featuring as many as 50 TVs. Justin found himself dining there two to three times a week.

The gap between his roles as a practicing physician and a restaurant franchisee isn’t as large as it might seem, Justin said.

“I actually looked into franchising restaurants before I ever went to med school, so I’ve always had an interest in the restaurant business,” he said. “I worked in the restaurant business for a number of years, and so that was how it led me down that road.”

He’s also long had an interest in the world of beer and brewing. “I used to brew beer with my buddies, and we would talk about getting a brewery going and all sorts of different things,” Justin said. “But that was 20-plus years ago; now I’m looking for a good investment. It’s a great opportunity for the community and my family, really, to do something like this.”

The planned restaurant already is generating positive feedback from the city and the community, he said. The Lindseys have been careful to choose a location that can serve a range of audiences. The building is situated along one of the two main thoroughfares into Salem, adjacent to several hotels and just off Interstate 81. It’s also near the Salem Civic Center/Berglund Center in Roanoke, Virginia, an arena hosting concerts, large entertainment events, trade shows and matches for the local pro hockey team, the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs.

The couple anticipates that, as with other Wings Etc. restaurants, their Salem location will become a spot where local sports teams like to gather to celebrate wins, and families and friends enjoy meeting up. The new Wings Etc. will enjoy proximity to several high schools and to Roanoke College, which has a football team for the first time since 1942. Additionally, the site is a little more than a half-hour east of Virginia Tech, making it an easy stop for tailgating carryout.

The new restaurant also can fill a void in neighboring Glenvar while growing the dining options in Salem.

The Lindseys are excited to get involved with the community, furthering the Wings Etc. philosophy of giving back. Justin has plans to add local craft beers from breweries in the area. He also wants to host live music, and perhaps even offer outdoor entertainment one day.

“The Lindseys bring to the table the energy, enthusiasm and drive that we know makes for a successful franchise,” said Wings Etc. CEO Rob Hensmann. “We’re thrilled to welcome them to the Wings Etc. family and are supporting them every step of the way.”

The business will bring 50 to 70 jobs to the region. Grand opening promotions for the Salem Wings Etc. are expected to include a year of free wings for the first 50 guests; further details are to come.  

Justin is looking forward to the launch and to the reaction of guests. “We are just excited to bring good food and great times to our Salem community.” 

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About Wings Etc. Grill & Pub

Wings Etc. is proud to celebrate 30 years of growth and good times this year. Founded in 1994 by Jim Weaver in northern Indiana, Wings Etc. is a family-friendly grill and pub featuring award-winning jumbo Buffalo wings, 22 signature sauces and rubs, dozens of TVs tuned to sports programming and a casual, non-corporate-y, laid-back vibe that makes people want to just come in and hang out. See wingsetc.com.

With 81 corporate and franchise locations, Wings Etc. has been listed among Entrepreneur magazine’s “Top 500 Franchises” every year since 2021 and was included in the magazine’s “Top Five Best Sports Bars” in 2021. It has been named one of Franchise Business Review’s “Top Food Franchises” every year since 2020 and a “Top 200 Franchise” every year since 2019. Wings Etc. has been included in Franchise Gator’s “Top 100 Franchises” seven times since 2014 and its “Fastest Growing Franchises” seven times since 2016; it was among the “Top Emerging Franchises” in 2023. It has been named a “Top 400 Franchise” by Franchise Times every year since 2021 and a “Top 500 Franchise” by Nation’s Restaurant News every year since 2021. See www.wingsetcfranchise.com.

The Wings Etc. Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization committed to improving children’s lives. See www.wingsetcfoundation.com. 

©2024 Wings Etc., Inc. Franchises independently owned and operated.

Photos courtesy of Wings Etc. Grill and Pub

Photo 1: Rendering of the Wings Etc. restaurant planned for Salem, Virginia