Atomic Wings Franchisees Work To Provide Opportunities for HBCU Students With New Howard University Location

When Atomic Wings, the emerging Buffalo wing franchise, opens its first Washington, D.C. location on the campus of Howard University, you’ll see more than just the hottest chicken wing joint in New York expanding its turf. 

You’re going to see the power of friendship and dedication to helping their community. 

Meet Fred Whit, Phil Monde and Sayem Khan, three entrepreneurs and lifelong friends who grew up blocks away from each other in Queens, New York. Today, the trio runs an investment group that wants to introduce the Atomic Wings brand to as many Historically Black College and Universities (HBCU) as it can, starting with D.C. 

Whit, who works as a talent manager and children’s book author, graduated from North Carolina A&T State University, a historically black university. That connection, he felt, was important in any business he was a part of. 

“We want our businesses to provide opportunities for individuals in their local communities,” said Whit. “The Atomic Wings brand is such a college-friendly and organic brand. I can see it growing at multiple universities in the Washington D.C. area, too.”

Based in New York City, Atomic Wings currently has dozens of open locations but is expanding rapidly nationwide. Started in 1989, the brand quickly became a must-visit stop for New York’s spicy wings fans. In 2016, two experienced franchise operators, brothers Zak and Ray Omar, took over the brand and began to take it national. 

Now, Whit, Monde and Khan want to help spur growth by bringing investment and jobs to HBCUs. 

“Because I come from the HBCU world, I’ve always been a fan of the city and the respect it has for Howard,” Whit said. “My dream is to get Atomic Wings locations on a third or even half of the 100-plus HBCU campuses across the U.S.”

The connection is deeper than just personal ties. Monde, who works as a financial advisor, thinks this is the right moment for Atomic Wings to explode, and the HBCU-campus growth strategy is a great way to do it.

“Despite being under-represented on the main stage of America, the HBCU culture is super impactful in African American communities,” said Monde. “Thanks to people like Vice President Kamala Harris, a Howard graduate, there is going to be a huge shift in paying more attention to the amazing people the HBCU culture produces. That’s why we want to infuse the HBCU culture into the Atomic Wings brand,” he said.

“Fred, Phil and Sayem are the perfect people to introduce our brand to the D.C. area,” said Zack Omar. “They bring energy, passion and a commitment to helping make the community a better place, which is what we’re really all about as a brand.”

Beyond the business, the trio thinks this is a more personal journey, too.

“We’re looking to create a legacy.  We’re a bunch of brothers coming from the same neighborhood, who met in the park playing basketball, going on to become business owners, opening franchises across the country together,” said Whit. “That’s the destiny we’re looking to create for ourselves and our families.”

Startup costs to open one Atomic Wings range from $170,400 to $377,355. The initial investment to begin operation of a multi-unit development business for a required minimum of three Atomic Wings franchises is between $197,400 and $404,855. For more information about Atomic Wings, please visit https://www.atomicwings.com/franchising.