Long-Time Employee Reaches New Heights as Multi-Unit Franchisee of Wings and Rings

Jessica Raikes, working alongside her fiance Shaun Hill, is set to open her newest Wings and Rings* location in Frankfort, Kentucky. With five locations already in operation, Raikes has come full circle, starting as a unit-level employee and becoming a multi-unit franchise owner. 

Even more, she has recently been selected to represent her fellow owners. Raikes is one of four people who was nominated and selected to be on the franchise advisory council for Wings and Rings for a two-year term. She represents four surrounding states and speaks on the behalf of other franchisees, assisting corporate in making important decisions, and acting as a supportive link between franchisees and corporate. 

PROFILE QUESTIONS

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Raikes: I got my start in the restaurant business when I was a sophomore in high school. So I loved the public part of it. I loved building relationships and seeing the same people, knowing what they ate, what they drank and where they sat. 

I knew the restaurant business was a place I could thrive. When I was newly widowed with a 3-year-old child, the flexibility of a job in a restaurant was perfect for me. Most importantly, that position allowed me to be there for my son. I would say that’s what really kept me invested in the restaurant business.

I was hired as a manager about 12 years ago. That was actually my first management experience. I loved seeing things happen and getting things done. I took a lot of pride in that. Eventually, I just started talking with corporate and got involved in helping with marketing. They are a wonderful group; they have always been very easy to talk to and always there for us. 

I quickly grew fond of them and learned a lot from them. Through management, my favorite thing about the position is growing and developing people. Hire someone, train them and see them blossom into their given roles as a cook or server or bartender. I almost see myself as a coach.

Eventually I became the GM of our home store in Bardstown and then moved into the district manager row. At that time, we had three restaurants.

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Raikes: In high school, I worked with a company with an owner who just had one restaurant. From there, I went into a new company that was a franchise. Right off the bat, I felt the sense of corporate support. They were very genuine people and very easy to talk to. When people think of corporate level people, it can sound scary or intimidating. That has never been the case for me. 

I have all their cell phone numbers in my phone. I can call anytime, and they're there. I've really grown to enjoy the corporate aspect of our business. That is what drew Shaun to this brand. We were smaller than some of the other wing joints, and we liked the fact that corporate was growing. We enjoyed being a part of their growth, having started in the very beginning with them. That was a big draw for him, choosing a brand that wasn't so large at the time. It allowed us to actually meld with the corporate people at that level. It made a big difference.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Raikes: Shaun was just getting out of college and, financially, this was the best choice for him. It wasn't quite as expensive as some of the other brands. He's a big sports fanatic, so the brand reflects what he enjoys. He thought the brand would do well in his hometown, Bardstown. There was nothing like that here at the time, and he was excited to bring that to his own community.

What we love about this brand is that it is family oriented, as opposed to other places who are just all about the sports. We really support the kids and families in our community. We sponsor Little League teams. We host many fundraisers throughout the year where we donate money to local teams. For example, a local basketball team comes in on Thursday nights, and we donate 15% back to the league. I love that we are so involved in the community and making these kinds of investments.

I was selected for the Buffalove Award, which is an award given to the franchisee who best represents the brand’s core values, such as standing together as a family, having a positive impact and encouraging fun. Our hometown store in Bardstown has been selected for a community service award for the past five years, too, for our high level of community involvement.

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth? 

Raikes: We have the rights to a couple more locations after this. At the moment, we live in Bardstown. All of our stores are built in a circle around our hometown. The two locations that we have the rights to after Frankfort fall right into that circle. 

We haven't decided when we'll start those next projects or if we will; we just try to take it one location at a time. We just opened our fourth location a year and a half ago in Campbellsville. This is the quickest opening we have had so far. Normally, we take a little longer in between, but we have gained experience doing so many now. Fortunately, we've been able to have people ready for each store before the store opened. 

We are really committed to giving employees the opportunity to move up in our business. We are often able to move an employee from working in one store to running the next. That's our growth plan: first secure the people and then open the building. A lot of our growth moving forward will rely on who we have and whether we're ready for the next location or not.

1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?

Raikes: The most unique thing about our story is that Shaun and I are a couple in the business. It can be a tough business, and some people can’t believe we are doing it together. We do it together very, very well. I think corporate would agree with that. We get along great, and the energy we bring to the business is very relaxed. 

Owning a restaurant business, especially having five like us, you might expect us to be strict and stern with the employees, but we enjoy joking with each other and our employees. We like to create a relaxed environment for everyone. That's how we are, and those are the type of people we look for also. The people running our restaurants tend to be very relaxed.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?

Raikes: I would tell people to definitely do their homework. Research and reach out to talk to other franchisees that are possibly in the business. Talk to those people and ask them: Why did you choose this brand? What are the positives you think you're going to get from becoming a part of the brand? 

We love to have the corporate relationships and help that they give to us. We could do this on our own, but having the support that they offer us as far as marketing, construction building and advice has been wonderful for me because I grew up in this business as a manager. I learned a whole lot from them. 

I would also suggest they go to visit a store if they're looking at a certain brand. Shadowing for a day or two would really help them get a feel for what they're walking into before they make that decision.

ABOUT WINGS AND RINGS

Established in 1984 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Wings and Rings is a club-level sports restaurant and bar. It has craveworthy wings and rings, my place service and a club-level ambiance to encourage social connections. Whether it’s enjoying a bit of banter, catching up over the game, finding new craft beer favorites or celebrating a big win, Wings and Rings is the place where everyone can kick back, enjoy life and champion everyday moments. With 85 units across the globe, Wings and Rings is changing the sports restaurant category, making elevated food and beverage experiences accessible to all fans. For more information, please visit WingsandRings.com and OwnWingsandRings.com.