Sisters Prioritize Culture, Technology and Family at their Utah-Based Wingers Franchise
Jessica Lemieux (above, right) and Karla Naylor (left) have been partners in a Wingers Restaurant & Alehouse in West Jordan, Utah, since March 2023. They’ve worked together in previous jobs and have a combined 18 years in the restaurant industry, as well as a lifetime of experience together – as sisters.
The sibling business partners have a pretty good idea about their individual talents and how best to apply them at their Wingers Restaurant. “Clearly defining roles and responsibilities from the outset, leveraging each person’s strengths and expertise, is key to a successful working relationship,” Lemieux says.
“Embracing teamwork, keeping an open dialogue and making sure you have a shared vision are also important when working with family members,” Naylor adds.
Sibling Business Partners
From the outset, the sisters agreed upon their priorities. These included fostering a positive and inclusive culture in which every team member feels valued and recognized. They also embraced technology to maximize sales from online sources, tapping into digital platforms to reach a broader audience.
The partners’ strategic initiatives have resulted in an 18% increase in sales from 2023 to 2024 and a remarkably low turnover rate of 2%. They’re now considering expansion in two other Utah locations.
“We’ve taken from the good we’ve learned throughout our years and all our different experiences,” says Lemieux, who is 32. “And applied it where we can,” adds 28-year-old Naylor.
In addition to sometimes finishing each other’s sentences, they also have each other’s backs, filling in for each other as needed. With husbands and young children of their own, “it’s been so beneficial to have that family support,” says Naylor, who also has a baby on the way.
A Family-Like Culture
Naylor and Lemieux took over a Wingers location that had been in operation for more than two decades. One cook had worked there for 26 years. Being able to retain tenured employees and new hires was key to ensuring continuity and stability, the sibling business partners say.
“We made sure to provide our staff with the necessary tools and resources to excel in their roles, which contributes to improved efficiency and customer satisfaction,” Lemieux says. “It’s rewarding to see how strong the team has gotten and how quickly that’s happened.”
Early on, the partners promoted three newly hired servers into supervisory roles. “They really have been so committed to Wingers and to us,” Naylor says, “And for everyone else to see them advance shows that we care about them and, if they work hard with us, we’re going to promote them. We’re going to take care of them.”
Choosing the Wingers Franchise Opportunity
Lemieux and Naylor had worked together in their mother’s pizzeria and in managing a deli when they were in college. In deciding to partner in a franchise of their own, they looked for an established brand with a strong presence in the market that provided a structured framework and support system while also allowing for a degree of independence. Wingers Alehouse checked all the boxes.
“Overall, the combination of Wingers Alehouse’s established reputation and our desire for entrepreneurial autonomy made it a compelling choice for us to pursue as a franchise opportunity,” Lemieux says.
“Another aspect that sets Wingers apart is the openness of the founders, Eric and Scott Slaymaker, to new ideas from franchisees,” Naylor says. “They encourage us to explore innovative approaches while adhering to established standards, allowing for flexibility and creativity in our business strategies.”
Business Success
Through their first year of operation, the sibling business partners have seen a substantial increase in dine-in sales as well as catering revenue, which soared from virtually nothing to $80,000 within just 11 months. They’ve also maintained a 4.9-star rating based on 179 catering orders.
Super Bowl Sunday, always a huge day for Wingers Alehouse takeout, was an enormous success for the store, with a sales increase of 112.5% from 2023 to 2024. “It was a culmination of all the hard work we’d been putting in,” Naylor says.
With dedicated teams in the front and back of the house, everyone knew their roles. “We gave them a lot of instruction and we took their ideas,” Lemieux says. “Everyone took it, not only as a store goal, but as a personal goal to try to beat some records.”
“It was really a celebration,” Naylor continues. “We watched the halftime together, and we had a family dinner. It was really a good, satisfying end of night after all the hard work.”
Lemieux agrees: “It was fun to see everyone saying how they can’t wait until next year!” For more information, visit https://wingerbros.com/franchising-opportunities/.
