It's all in the family at new Valley Stream wings spot

Valley Streamer George Schreiner was attending college at Framingham State University in Massachusetts about a decade ago when he got hooked on the wings.

He loved them so much, he said, that he would head to the spot, Wings Over Framingham -— a two-and-a-half mile trip south of campus — two to three times a week. When he returned home to Valley Stream, he would venture at least once a week to the nearest Wings Over location in Farmingdale, where he even had his first date with his future wife, Kim.

Years later, and partnering with his father, George, the younger Schreiner, now 32, is opening his own Wings Over franchise in Valley Stream, called Wings Over Valley Stream, which was scheduled to hold its grand opening on Feb. 10, after the Herald went to press.

“My dad and I have always wanted to go into business together, but we couldn’t really figure out what we wanted to do,” Schreiner said. “Then one day I brought some wings back and I said ‘why don’t we look into this?’”

The process to open the new franchise took about a year, with some delays due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Dan Leyva, the aptly named chief wing officer at Wings Over. After looking through the commercial real estate offerings in the neighborhood, Leyva and Schreiner decided on the location on Sunrise Highway, across from the Valley Stream train station and next to Staples.

Schreiner said he wants his restaurant to become a staple in the neighborhood much like other well-established Valley Stream eateries; sponsoring Little League teams and hiring local high school teenagers, many of whom, he said would be working there as their first job.

“We thought that was important, being that we’ve lived here for so long to help out the local community, especially in tough times,” he said. “So we’ve really put a focus on hiring high school kids, and people with their first jobs.”

In addition to wings (of which there are 24 flavors to choose from) the restaurant offers chicken tenders, sandwiches, tots, fries and wraps. While there is seating, Leyva said there won’t be any indoor dining until the dangers of the coronavirus pandemic subside. Additionally, he said, for the first month after opening, customers can try six free wings or chicken tenders when they stop by.

Wings Over Valley Stream is also a family affair, in addition to Schreiner’s father, his wife, mother, brother, sister and his brother’s fiancé will be working the restaurant as well. Already looking to the future, he said, “We want to have something to leave our family.”