California restaurant chain debuts in state with Clearwater location

Epic Wings, a San Diego-based chicken wing restaurant concept that was founded in 1982 and now has 30 franchises nationwide, is set to open its first restaurant in Florida.

Located in the Tri-City Shopping Center in Clearwater, the eatery is owned and operated by franchisee T.J. Leaf, a former NBA player who grew up in San Diego and, according to a news release, has fond memories of the original Epic Wings restaurant, formerly known as Wings-N-Things.

“I hope to provide the same type of memories and experiences for families in Clearwater; this is truly a full circle moment for me,” states Leaf, who played basketball for UCLA before going on to a pro career with the Indiana Pacers and Portland Trail Blazers, in the release.