Grand opening celebration set for tonight for new Wings Sports Bar & Grille location

Beavercreek Wings now open in former Beef O’Brady’s location.

Wings Sports Bar & Grille now has two locations.

An official ribbon-cutting is set for 4 p.m. today at the new Beavercreek location, the former site of Beef O'Brady's sports bar. A grand-opening celebration is set for tonight, starting at 9 p.m. at 3347 Seajay Drive in the Beaver Valley Shopping Center.

The last day for Beef O’Brady’s was Jan. 17, according to Beef O’Brady’s owner Bill DeFries. Wings Sports Bar & Grille, with its original location in Vandalia, opened the following day, Jan. 18, Wings owners Chad and Mary Macek said.

“We live in Beavercreek and love the area, have kids throughout the school system and in sports, care about the area’s success, and wanted to be a part of the growth here,” the Maceks said in a release. Beavercreek, they said, is “a perfect atmosphere for both a sports bar and great live music.”

Wings “is bringing a new menu based on its Vandalia offerings, plus several new items,” its owners said. “The goal will be to provide great service, great wings and food, the best local/regional bands on Friday and Saturday nights, and a fun, safe, memorable experience. There will also be doing a lot of other crossover concepts with Vandalia such as acoustic, karaoke, trivia and bar bingo as well. There will be something going on throughout the week.”

The existing Vandalia location at 7902 N. Dixie Drive “isn’t going anywhere,” the Maceks said.

“We have big plans for Vandalia this year, and many renovations in store especially to the patio area. We look forward to continuing our growth with that location and great customer base.”

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DeFries opened his first Beef O’Brady’s franchise in Centerville in 2004, which he sold in 2011. The sale of the Beavercreek location will mark the end of his restaurant career, Defries said in a release. The sale does not affect DeFries’ role as CEO of Copp Integrated Systems.

“I’ve watched teenage hosts and servers become young adults who graduate high school, go to college, and bring their families to enjoy a meal where they started their careers,” DeFries told employees in a farewell letter Thursday. “This privilege is one I’ve never taken for granted, which is how I know it’s time to pass the honor to another restaurateur.”

Credit: Provided

Credit: Provided

“I am entrusting the restaurant’s future to the good people of the Vandalia Wings Sports Bar & Grille, Chad and Mary Macek, residents of Beavercreek,” DeFries wrote on the Beef O’Brady’s Facebook page this morning. “Alongside the talented staff, they will take this dining experience to the next level that I could not, all under the Wings banner and brand.”

DeFries, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, made national headlines in 2017 when he refused to show NFL football games at Beef O’Brady’s in response to a handful of players who refused to stand for the National Anthem. He announced in September he would take the same stand this season. The sports bar owner said the move garnered support from the community and veterans organizations locally and nationally.

DeFries filed petitions in early 2018 to run as a Republican for the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. His campaign launch in January 2018 attracted four Republican state representatives, a GOP state senator and former Ohio Gov. Bob Taft.

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But in March 2018, DeFries dropped out of the race, saying he was “expected to chase donor dollars and primary voters” and “realized my political journey is a detour away from authentic conversations and real grassroots transformation.”

Credit: Provided

Credit: Provided

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