Buffalo Wild Wings Gets OK From Braintree Officials

Buffalo Wild Wings plans to open by the end of this summer at the South Shore Plaza after Braintree officials Tuesday approved its alcohol and food licenses.

The restaurant, part of a national chain that caters to sports fans with numerous big screen TVs and specialty wing sauces, will take over the remaining portion of the former Crate and Barrel space near Sears.

Members of the Board of License Commissioners voted unanimously (with board chair Joe Powers absent) to grant an all-alcohol restaurant license after hearing from regional manager Frank Giuffrida, who described the chain's strict alcohol compliance policies.

They include carding anyone who appears under 40 years old, and firing employees who fail to adhere to that policy, and also regularly checking on customers to make sure they do not consume more than two alcoholic drinks per hour.

"We're very serious about our liquor liability," Giuffrida said.

Buffalo Wild Wings received the last available liquor license of its type in Braintree. It has two other corporate stores in Massachusetts, in Brockton and North Dartmouth, and is planning to add more here and in Rhode Island as part of a nation-wide expansion.

There are currently approximately 1,000 franchise and corporate-owned Buffalo Wild Wings in the United States.

Giuffrida said Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants display a minimum of 48 televisions. The restaurant is expected to seat 268 and employ at least 160 people.

Attorney Carl Johnson, representing Plaza owner Simon Malls, said that he is aware there are already a number of establishments with liquor licenses at the mall, but that alcohol violations have not posed a serious problem there and the Plaza is responding to demand.

"Simon feels national restaurants succeed better at the South Shore Plaza," Johnson said. "[Buffalo Wild Wings] does offer something different than the other restaurants."

The approvals Tuesday are contingent on the restaurant adhering to what's known as the "Potty Parity Law," requiring equal numbers of restroom facilities for men and women, and at least one stall per 30 people. 

As the construction plans stood Tuesday, Buffalo Wild Wings will either need to add more stalls or seek relief from the state plumbing board, Building Inspector Russell Forsberg said.

Giuffrida said the restaurant is tentatively scheduled to open in August 2014.