Lonnie and Autumn Mathis have plans to make wings more accessible to folks in the Hampstead area with the opening of TopSea Wingz early next year.

Located in the Harris Teeter shopping center at 201 Austin Blvd., TopSea Wingz will occupy the space formerly held by Charlie Graingers.

Lonnie, who is a deputy with the Pender County Sheriff’s department, said he found himself traveling a pretty good distance to find decent chicken wings. He said the lack of competition has also driven up prices.

“I moved here from Atlanta where there’s a lot of competition when it comes to wings,” Lonnie Mathis said. “I see a lot of seafood places here but not a lot of wings.”

The eatery will offer a simple menu of wings with nearly a dozen homemade sauces, as well as chicken tenders, cheesesteaks and fries.

Lonnie Mathis said he is confident he can offer a great product at a reasonable price.

While there will be a limited amount of indoor seating, he plans to have a covered outdoor patio with TVs and is considering applying for a beer permit.

“We were a bit skeptical about moving forward with the COVID situation, but ultimately we’ve decided to give it a try,” Lonnie Mathis said. “We will start out small but have a lot of good ideas for how to grow the business.”

The Mathises hope to open by mid-January 2021.

Have a tip for Restaurant Roundup? Email us at: [email protected].