What do you like about owning and running King’s Chicken Wings?

I love being able to set the tone and the standard for what I think a great restaurant company should look like. I think sometimes, sitting at the top, we don’t always realize what we’re called to do. We have this unique opportunity to really just drive the vision and the mission. And so my favorite part is leading that on and then saying, ‘Here’s the standard. Here’s what’s gonna separate us from everyone else.’ I love leading people into success.

You said, ‘A great restaurant company,’ not just a great restaurant. I know you’re opening a location in Georgetown. Do you have plans beyond that?

Georgetown is already halfway built. We’re super excited to go to that market and see how we do there. It’s in a mixed-use space called The Junction. It’ll have an indoor-outdoor bar, three pickleball courts, a speakeasy with a lounge, and then it’s anchored by four restaurants. That’s projected to open the first week of December.

Our initial goal was 25 [restaurants] by 2035. We do have a vision for creating opportunities for people, and a big part of that is being able to spread our wings across Texas. In order to do that, we have to have a goal of opening 25 by 2035.

Will you own them all, or will you start to franchise?

I am a believer, so I believe God’s gonna tell us the true path. But ideally, I’d like to think we’d own all 25. But you never know. Somebody may come along who believes in what we believe in, as far as our vision and mission. And it may be the perfect opportunity for us to grow in a market that we can’t quite get to yet. So, we’re open.

Your store on Waco Drive and your store at Union Hall are 11 minutes apart. Will it be hard to have a location in Georgetown?

It’s always tough when you give away a little bit of your baby, the thing that we sacrifice over every day. It’s about an hour and 10 minutes away, and that’s been probably, so far in our company, one of the most challenging things. Lucky for us, we have a general manager who is here now and was excited to move to Georgetown, so a little piece of us will be there. And then we’re just going to have to drive a lot. We’re looking forward to it. I think a part of growing is allowing people to make decisions and trusting your team. I’m excited to enter that season where I just have to trust my leaders to do what we call them to do.

How’d you come up with the name King’s Chicken Wings?

When you are trying to figure out how to do what you love, but then also put a name behind it, it’s kind of difficult. I remember my wife and I going back and forth, back and forth, on all these different names. We just decided to name it after our firstborn son. His name is King. For us, that was a really good reminder of why we do what we do. We obviously want to create an opportunity for other people, but also create a legacy for our family. And so naming it after our son was a really good conviction for us.

Who does the cooking at home?

I do about 98.9% of the cooking. It comes really easy to me. I’m passionate about preparing food for other people, so naturally, that’s just been one of my tasks in the house. And I think she benefits from it. She’s made it clear she married a chef for a reason.

What’s your go-to dish at home?

Red beans and rice. It’s my kid’s favorite. Growing up in New Orleans, we literally had red beans and rice every Monday, and we still try to hold on to that tradition. I use our house spice, which is the same spice we use in the restaurant. We developed our own Cajun seasoning, and other than a whole lot of time, I think probably the secret is the house spice that we cook with the meat and the beans.

It’s Monday Night Football and the Saints are playing the Cowboys. Who you got?

It’s Saints ‘til the day I die. I remember growing up in New Orleans and we were never good in the ‘90s. We were never good. You could get season tickets for like 500 bucks. So why change now, right? Obviously, we got some hope with Drew Brees over the last 15 years, but it’s Saints all the way. We are a house divided. She’s from North Dallas. She’s a Cowboys fan; I’m a Saints fan. We get to play each other every other year and that’s the best time.

Leo Spann Jr. is the owner of King’s Chicken Wings, which has locations in downtown’s Union Hall — which has been in operation for about five years — and at 4300 West Waco Drive, which opened earlier this year. He’s the face of the organization, and his wife, Jenee, handles human resources, IT, payroll “and whatever it takes” to keep the business running. Spann was born in Waco, “at the old Hillcrest,” he said, raised in New Orleans and moved back after Hurricane Katrina in 2005