Local Buffalo Wild Wings Franchisee Expanding Elsewhere
The local franchisee for Buffalo Wild Wings Grill and Bar wants to open six of its sports bar eateries in South Carolina during the next four years.
Construction began this week on the first restaurant in Columbia, S.C., which is slated to open in December, said John Slaughenhaupt , a partner in ThreeWitt Enterprises Inc. , the franchisee.
In the Dayton area, ThreeWitt Enterprises — which also includes David Fisher and Eric Lundgren — owns 10 Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants and three Milano’s Atlantic City Subs . The company is expanding into the Palmetto State because it wanted to grow the company, but had maxed out the local market, Slaughenhaupt said. Additionally, they liked Columbia because of its similarities to Dayton, including the presence of universities and a military base.
“It just felt a lot like home,” he said.
Plans call for the company to open one store in Columbia this year. Another two stores each will be added in 2010 and 2011. Executives plan to add a sixth store in 2012, Slaughenhaupt said. ThreeWitt’s territory also includes Sumter, S.C., where the company will open one store.
The southward expansion of the company, which employs 800, eventually should result in growth for the company’s Dayton headquarters, Slaughenhaupt said.
