Proximity to the University of Alabama Means Big Business for Wing Zone Franchisee Marty Abercrombie

Abercrombie purchased an existing Wing Zone franchise in 2006 in Tuscaloosa. 

When Marty Abercrombie learned that his corporate job would be eliminated back in 2006, he started looking for something else to do. 

He heard about a Wing Zone restaurant that was up for sale in Tuscaloosa, just half a mile away from the University of Alabama, his alma mater. Unfamiliar with the brand, he decided to check it out with his two de facto taste testers: his young sons. Together, they purchased wings and fries and ate them on the university quad. 

“The boys loved it,” Abercrombie said. 

Founded in 1991 in Gainesville, Florida by two University of Florida graduates, Wing Zone has since grown to 35 locations and touts a wide array of sauces enjoyed by brand enthusiasts who are lovingly referred to as “Flavorholics.” 

The Tuscaloosa restaurant’s owner at the time was one of the brand’s first franchisees and opened the store in 1999. That owner, who had moved out of the Tuscaloosa area, wanted to sell his restaurant to someone who would be more involved in the business’s day-to-day. 

Abercrombie proceeded to do his due diligence on the company. He traveled to Wing Zone’s headquarters in Atlanta, met key members of the brand’s corporate team and purchased the Tuscaloosa restaurant just as he was exiting his corporate role. 

Abercrombie grew with the brand, eventually expanding to four locations. He later decided to downsize to two locations in 2016. After experiencing a family tragedy in 2017, Abercrombie decided to go back to owning and operating one location. The Wing Zone corporate team has been extremely supportive of Abercrombie throughout his journey with the brand. 

“Life changed for my wife and I and so we had to refocus a lot of our attention and Wing Zone and the corporate team were wonderful in helping me through that transition,” Abercrombie said. “There’s a lot of continuity from the franchisor side. They are wonderful business people who truly care about the franchisees and want to see them succeed. They listen to what we have to say about the business. For me, it’s been a great fit.” 

Today, he continues to own and operate the Tuscaloosa location and remains a huge fan of the business. 

“We’re unique in that we deliver an alternative product that’s different from Chinese food, pizza and so forth,” Abercrombie said. “We offer comfort food that people love. We have a lot of really dedicated and loyal customers. Many of our customers have been Wing Zone customers since the Tuscaloosa store first opened in 1999.”  

His Wing Zone franchise has a base of 10 employees that grows to approximately 15 during the college school year. Some of his employees have worked with him for at least eight years. 

Being so close to a major school like the University of Alabama, which has more than 38,000 students, means prime college student business. 

“The students are a significant part of our business,” Abercrombie said. “We do have a great local business, but when students are on campus, the difference is noticeable. We try to be involved with both the local community and the university community throughout the year. We’ll support various community activities and fundraisers, primarily through charitable giving or gift card donations.” 

And he has some very strategic hiring practices that help increase business opportunities. 

“A lot of times we’ll supplement the staff with university students,” he said. “Those students keep us educated about the university and what’s happening on campus.”

Abercrombie is thrilled he made the decision to purchase that first Wing Zone franchise 13 years ago. Prospective Wing Zone franchisees, he said, should be prepared to be hands-on owners. 

“They definitely need to realize that Wing Zone is unique,” he said. “You’ve got to be involved with the business to be successful. You’ve got to embrace the brand and what we do.” 

Above all, success in Wing Zone is tied to providing excellent customer service. 

“If you want to turn your customers into longtime customers, you’ve got to make sure you have good employees who are treating the customers right,” he said. “You’ve got to be ready to work hard, because the restaurant business is not one where you can just open the doors and expect the business to come in. The Wing Zone brand has a lot of energy and it’s a unique concept that nobody else has out there. We offer a unique product in a family-like atmosphere and our customers love it.” 

The overall investment for a Wing Zone franchise is around $250,000 with a $25,000 franchise fee. Prospective franchisees can get into a proven franchise model for as little as $50,000 down.  With average restaurant sales of $750,000+, the ratio of sales to investment leaves Wing Zone franchisees as satisfied as their Flavorholic consumers. To learn more about franchising with Wing Zone, visit https://wingzonefranchise.com/.