Who co-founded Buffalo Wild Wings with James Disbrow?

Scott Lowery co-founded Buffalo Wild Wings with James Disbrow.

The pair founded Buffalo Wild Wings & Weck in 1982 after meeting in Kent, Ohio, and finding that local restaurants did not serve the Buffalo-style chicken wings they wanted. Their first restaurant opened near Ohio State University in Columbus, combining wings with beef on weck, the sandwich referenced in the original company name.

Disbrow and Lowery had a personal connection before becoming business partners: Lowery’s parents had been Disbrow’s ice-skating coaches and guardians. Within six months of opening, they brought in Mark Lutz as an additional partner, which is why some accounts mention three early founders or principals. The question, however, asks who co-founded the business with Disbrow, making Lowery the canonical answer.

The company began franchising in 1992 and standardized its name as Buffalo Wild Wings in the late 1990s. Disbrow later became chairman, while Sally Smith became president and CEO in 1996.