Atomic Wings Debuts in Albany
Atomic Wings enters its 30th anniversary year by opening its 20th location in Albany, N.Y. on Saturday, April 6 — its first in the Capital Region. The franchise serves all-natural, hormone-free chicken wings hand-tossed in more than 14 proprietary sauces and an array of classic American dishes in a fun, fast-casual setting.
Atomic Wings are made fresh in-house daily — never frozen — and in the authentic style of original Buffalo wings. Proprietary sauces range in heat from mild to nuclear, with flavor profiles including Jerk BBQ, Thai Chili and Garlic Parmesan. In addition to the Classic wings selection, each location features regional favorites and twists on iconic dishes. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diners have terrific choices as well.
Atomic Wings Albany Franchise Owner Munir Tahir chose the Western Avenue location due to his roots in the region. "I went to college in the area, and of course, classic Buffalo Wings are an iconic New York dish. We could think of no better place to expand this New York brand than in the state capital, and so close to major universities."
CEO Zak Omar runs Atomic Wings with his brother Ray, and theirs is a uniquely American success story. Their parents came to the U.S. as refugees in 1980 when they fled Afghanistan's Soviet war. Zak's first exposure to the food industry was working alongside his father Mo's popular N.Y.C. food truck, where he served fried chicken to Wall Street workers. After graduating from Hofstra University, Zak himself worked on Wall Street as an IT specialist. While living in the Washington D.C. area, Zak was diagnosed with leukemia and returned to New York for treatment and to be closer to family. He connected with Atomic Wings Founder Adam Lippin, and purchased the company from him in 2017. What appealed to the brothers is that Atomic Wings is a true N.Y. company, created in their hometown. Ray Omar — a former ranger in the U.S. Army Special Forces — lives in Maryland and focuses on the company's Mid-Atlantic operations.
