Atomic Wings to open second Illinois location in Fairview Heights. Here’s when
Fairview Heights will soon welcome a New York-based eatery specializing in chicken wings.
Atomic Wings tentatively opens June 4, according to city documents, at 6100 N. Illinois St. in the former site of CherryBerry Self-Serve Yogurt Bar under the ownership of Chris and Evelyn Steinacher.
Messages left for the Steinachers to ask about the Atomic Wings location were not immediately returned.
The new eatery is their first Atomic Wings location, according to a recent article by 1851 Franchise. The Steinachers are experienced in the restaurant business and also own Firehouse Subs locations in Collinsville and Edwardsville.
Chris Steinacher became a general manager at Collinsville’s Firehouse Subs in 2017. The couple bought that location in 2020. They opened the Edwardsville sandwich shop in March 2023.
Last summer, the Steinachers hoped to take over Firehouse Subs in Fairview Heights after its sudden closing.
The owner, Rod Wanjala, wrote in a May 20, 2024, email to the city stating, “I have decided to sell this location. I have found a qualified existing Firehouse Subs Franchisee (Chris Steinacher). Chris is an excellent operator (top locations in this market!) …. This will be his 3rd location.”
The transfer of ownership was to have occurred in the following weeks that summer but did not take place. Firehouse Subs at 5909 N. Illinois St. is permanently closed.
About Atomic Wings
Founded in New York, the first Atomic Wings location opened in 1989 after Adam Lippin made it his mission to “recreate the hot, crispy wings he chowed down on during his college days in Buffalo,” according to the business’ website.
In 2014, brothers Zak and Ray Omar took over the business, which had two locations at the time.
There are currently 35 restaurants – eight of them coming soon – including Fairview Heights, which will be the second location in Illinois. The first is in Champaign.
Atomic Wings in Fairview Heights is located at 6100 N. Illinois St. Hours will be 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday.
For more info, call 618-206-6174 or visit atomicwings.com.
