<P> Buffalo Wild Wings (originally Buffalo Wild Wings & Weck, and thus the numeronym BW3) is an American casual dining restaurant and sports bar franchise in the United States, Canada, India, Mexico, Oman, Panama, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates & Vietnam, specialising in Buffalo wings & sauces . </P> <P> As of June 2017, it had 1,238 locations (625 directly owned by the company, and 612 franchised locations) across all 50 U.S. states and DC . An alternate nickname in recent usage by the company is B - Dubs . </P> <P> Buffalo Wild Wings & Weck was founded in 1982 by Jim Disbrow and Scott Lowery . Lowery's parents had become Disbrow's guardians as they were his ice skating coaches . After Disbrow had finished judging an amateur figure skating competition at Kent State University, the pair met up to get some Buffalo - style chicken wings to eat . Failing to find any restaurant serving them, they decided to open their own restaurant serving wings . For the first location, they selected a location near the Ohio State University, Columbus . Weck was an original part of the name, as beyond the wings and its dozen sauces, the restaurant served beef on weck . </P> <P> The pair brought on an additional partner, Mark Lutz, within six months after opening . None had any restaurant experience and thus ran all aspects of the business, including its finances, haphazardly . The restaurant expanded into a chain over the next decade as it added six additional locations in Ohio, Indiana, and Steamboat Springs, Colorado . The Colorado location was selected as they skied there . </P>

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