Transcona just got a little bit wilder.

Wild Wing, located at 1575 Regent Ave. W., planned to open Feb. 20 after teasing customers through social media for months.

Co-owner Jed Porciuncula said setting an opening date has been a difficult process.

"We’ve been trying to open since November, but we’ve had delays," he said. "Our three-to-four week construction permit took three months (to acquire). Basically, we were paying rent by the time we started construction.

"It was frustrating," added his business partner, Dennis Kim.

"But we’re here now," finished Porciuncula.

The latest delay revolved around getting Manitoba Hydro to turn on the gas at the location.
Kim said while several other franchises have looked to make their mark in Winnipeg by opening up new locations across town, the bulk of them are American.

"There are other franchises that are coming in from the States," said Kim, noting the Aurora, Ont.-based chain is aggressively expanding westward.

The duo said because the wings are all-Canadian, prices are higher due to higher feed costs and regulated profits for farmers in Canada. A single-serving of wings, which has a pre-cooked weight of a little over a pound, runs $10.99.

"There are cheaper wing nights in the city, but our products are 100% Canadian," said Porciuncula. "They’re not coming from South America. Homegrown – you know what you’re getting."

As for the atmosphere, Kim said the location will strive for family-inclusivity.

"You can bring kids here to enjoy some of the food. It’s not strictly adults-only, and it’s not strictly just a sports bar," he said. "At the same time, we do support our local sports teams. We do play UFC, Winnipeg Jets, and Blue Bombers."

The location has so far foregone traditional advertising avenues, opting instead for the social media route. It has announced it will give away a $101 gift certificate at its grand opening, and there are plans in the works to hold a draw for a year’s supply worth of free wings.

If the hype turns into success for the Transcona location, the duo will expand, and has already looked into advancing into Fort Richmond, Tuxedo, Polo Park, and Brandon.

"It depends on how we’re received, but we anticipate from the buzz that we’ll do alright," said Porciuncula. "If all goes according to plan, we should open a couple more locations in the city."

At press time, the location’s Facebook page boasted over 3,000 fans, while its Twitter account had upwards of 1,300 followers.

dan.falloon@canstarnews.com