East Coast Wings + Grill Expands in the Piedmont Area of North Carolina

The Weavers grew up in Davidson County, and the couple now calls Lexington, NC home, which makes focusing on the Piedmont area an easy outcome. Over the past two decades, the Weavers have built a portfolio of ECW+G locations across North Carolina, including Winston-Salem and Mt Airy.

"East Coast Wings + Grill has been a large part of our life. I grew up in Davidson County and 21 years ago I heard that East Coast Wings + Grill Corporate was investigating a site near my county and I said, 'we should be the franchise owners in that market.' I approached the CEO and the rest is history," said Brent. "The Piedmont area is in need of more full-service wing spots, and we knew we were the ones to expand it. Opening our next location, on property we own and develop, is something we've worked toward for more than twenty years. We can't wait to bring it to the area that raised us."

The Weavers are also planning for the future, structuring the business for a generational transfer to their son, Andrew, who will eventually take over operations and keep the family's investment rooted in the community for years to come. The growth comes as North Carolina was recently named a top franchise growth market in a report from the International Franchise Association.

What makes the project distinctive is the ownership approach. They plan to own the real estate and serve as their own landlords.

When the Weavers wanted real estate guidance, they turned to the brand, something ECW+G franchise owners do regularly. CEO and Founder, Sam Ballas, brings a finance and Wall Street background to the brand. He also holds the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation and owns a commercial real estate firm, giving owners access to non-traditional guidance that reaches well past day-to-day operations.

"The Weavers' desire to become their own landlords is exactly what we mean when we talk about unit level economics," said Ballas. "We have the ability to coach a franchise owner on how to become a real estate investor in the property they operate. If we didn't have such a prominent ULE philosophy, Brent and Sherry wouldn't have created the wealth during their tenure with the brand to make a project like this possible. This is the testament of what the franchise model can do when everyone focuses on the same philosophies."

ECW+G continues to pursue disciplined, density-driven growth in markets that align with its operational strengths across the South and Midwest.

"Brent and Sherry represent everything we look for in a franchise owner, and what they're building in the Piedmont area reflects the discipline behind how this brand grows," said Evans. "Discipline has always come first at ECW+G. The focus stays on unit level economics and on giving owners the support to build real, lasting wealth. Watching a 20-year operator reinvest in and around their own community this way speaks to the strength of that approach."

ECW+G has earned numerous accolades in recent years for system performance, franchisee satisfaction and concept innovation. The brand continues to strengthen its regional footprint while attracting multi-unit operators seeking a scalable and financially resilient restaurant model.