Author: cnguyen

OREM, Utah — To commemorate the grand opening of another location in Utah, one restaurant is offering free chicken wings for a year to certain wing superfans.

The first 100 people in line at the new Buffalo Wild Wings opening in Orem will win the grand prize and have all their chicken wing cravings fulfilled (at least, for one year).

To secure a place in line, go to the new location at 575 E University Parkway, Suite B28.

The grand opening will be hosted on Monday, May 1, but who knows how long you’ll need to wait in line to get one of the coveted 100 prizes.

Regular hours will be Monday-Saturday from 11 a.m.—1 a.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.—12 a.m.

Known for its wings and sporty atmosphere, BWW hopes to attract sports fans with stadium-like A/V technologies with wall-to-wall LED modular screens to watch games in style.

“Buffalo Wild Wings is all about creating legendary experiences between friends, and we want this restaurant to continue that mission by providing the greatest of all time, in every aspect,” said John Bowie, President, Buffalo Wild Wings.

Buffalo Wild Wings is the largest sports bar in the world with 1,300 locations in eight global markets.

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OREM, Utah (ABC4) – Orem fans of wings will now have a Buffalo Wild Wings a little closer to home with a new location opening at the start of May. Wing lovers will even have a chance to snag free wings for a year.

The new Buffalo Wild Wings will officially open its doors on Monday, May 1, and will be located at 575 East University Parkway, right between Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University. The location will be open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.

As part of its opening week for the new location, Buffalo Wild Wings will be giving the first 100 people in line free wings for a year.

The Orem location will be the 11th Utah Buffalo Wild Wings, with other locations in St. Geoge, Lehi, Salt Lake City, Sandy, and Layton. Buffalo Wild Wings reportedly has over 1,300 restaurants worldwide.

The new location will feature a bar and a dining room as well as two sets of LED modular TV screens for sports and entertainment, according to the press release. The company said in a statement that the location will also feature a “B-Dubs After Dark” lineup starting at 9 p.m. that includes bar food specials.

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McKell Moeller with Utah Family Faves joined us with three activities for your family this spring.

1. Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival. Part of it is open now, but tulips won’t be fully bloomed this year until the last week of April.
2. Baby Animals. McKell says there are many places around Utah where kids can pet and even hold different animals.
3. Funbox. This is the world’s biggest bounce house located outside of University Mall in Orem. It’s 25,000 square feet of fun! You can go afternoons Monday-Friday and all day on Saturday and Sunday.

You can find more information @utahfamilyfaves on Instagram.

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FunBox, a popular traveling bounce park, opens for a 3-month stay in Orem on April 7.

The new Orem location will feature “25,000 sq. ft. of continuous jumping zones connecting ten different play areas,” the FunBox website says. The park will include obstacle courses, slides, a ninja wall and a mountain challenge.

Thousands of families and several celebrities have visited the park in its other locations, including Kevin Hart, the Kardashians and Ryan Seacrest.

Antonio Nieves co-founded FunBox when he was 24 and gets his inspiration from his nine younger siblings.

Nieves’ siblings have been through the foster care system, which is why FunBox is partnering with Family Haven for its opening night. A portion of every ticket sold that opening weekend will be donated to Family Haven. Family Haven is a group organized to provide therapy, abuse prevention education, a nursery and a parenting program for families in Utah.

Tickets for the opening weekend are $9 and will then rise to $22 for approximately 90-minute jumping sessions. However, toddlers from ages 0-2 and seniors over 65 enter for free when accompanied by a ticketed customer.

“We believe that every child deserves a happy childhood, and we’re committed to doing our part to make that a reality,” Nieves said.

FunBox currently has locations in California, Arizona and Utah; however, they are always expanding and rotating locations.

“I have had the opportunity to visit the Los Angeles Funbox location. Actually, the reason why I decided to move forward and buy the franchise was because of the experience that I had visiting one in person,” said Randall Henderson, a co-owner of FunBox Utah.

Riki Sanford, another co-owner of FunBox Utah, said she and her co-owners are all Utah County residents and have children ranging from two to 18.

“When we saw the opportunity to invest in FunBox, we couldn’t think of a more beautiful and family-oriented place to do it than Utah.” Sanford said.

FunBox is also hosting a college-night for guests 18 and up on April 26, from 6:30-8 p.m. The limited tickets are now available.

FunBox Orem will be located at the University Place Mall at 575 E University Pkwy, Orem, UT, 84097.

Tickets for its opening weekend can be found here.

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The big red “Light the World Giving Machines” are becoming a tradition that garners financial help and more to local and international charities.

During Tuesday’s Provo Municipal Council meeting, three local nonprofits received notification of their donations — Community Action Services and Food Bank, The Food and Care Coalition and United Way of Utah County.

Tabitha’s Way, Sleep in Heavenly Peace and Lifting Hands will be recognized at the next American Fork City Council meeting. Lifting Hands is located in American Fork, but works internationally by helping distribute assorted supplies to refugees. They are also responsible for delivering goat donations.

Locally, the giving was substantial. About $1.1 million of giving came through the Orem machines at the University Place Mall.

Thousands of Utah County residents, and even more people worldwide, will be fed, clothed and cared for this coming year because of donations made at the Orem Light the World Giving Machines this past Christmas season, according to Mark Seastrand, a member of the Orem organizing team.

Sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Giving Machines are a unique and memorable way to serve others and follow the example of Jesus Christ, who “went about doing good,” Seastrand said.

From November through December, an estimated 425,000 people in 28 cities across six countries experienced the spirit of the Giving Machine. Approximately 75,000 of those visited Orem.

“In 2022, Light the World Giving Machines were in more cities than ever. From New York to Brisbane and Guatemala to Canada, people came by the tens of thousands, with family, friends, and neighbors, to experience what only Giving Machines can provide,” Karl Cheney, program manager, said in a press release. “The Orem organizing team worked for months to ensure that all who came felt the joy of giving to others. In addition, we are grateful to the University Place Mall for their tremendous support in hosting the Orem Giving Machines.”

Donations made from the Orem machines include:

• More than 308,000 meals, 2,500 food boxes and 303 years’ supply of food were donated to feed hungry and displaced persons.
• More than 5,500 children will receive school supplies and books.
• Nearly 3,400 children and refugees will receive shoes, socks, and winter clothing.
• More than 5,700 persons will benefit from vital hygiene supplies.
• More than 1,414 goats that will provide individuals and families in need with milk and cheese.

On a recent trip to eastern Europe to meet with Giving Machine recipients, Cheney reflected on how each donation makes a dramatic impact.

“Items purchased from a Giving Machine mean everything to those receiving. No one I met desires a handout. Instead, all they seek is a hand-up, and that’s exactly what these items provide. Every recipient asked me to bring back their deep love and sincere gratitude to all. I saw how each contribution, large or small, helps individuals and families become self-sufficient and care for those they love,” Cheney said.

As part of their ongoing humanitarian efforts, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints covers all Light the World Giving Machine operational costs, meaning 100% of every donation to be used as the donor intended.

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Founded in 1919 by F. Orin Woodbury, the Woodbury Corp. has thrived through good times and hard times under the stewardship of his descendants.

On Monday, O. Randall Woodbury stepped down as CEO of the full-service real estate management and development company. After 11 years as CEO, he will now serve as vice chairman and continue as principal broker for the company. E. Taylor Woodbury was named the next CEO of the company, “The past 11 years have been an incredible experience for me,” Randy Woodbury said. “The time has come for the next step in the executive leadership transition from the third generation of Woodburys to the fourth generation.”

While the fourth generation is taking on leadership, fifth generation Woodburys are in the wings, finishing school and preparing for their turn as future leaders in the multi-billion dollar company which has its fingerprints all across Utah County.

The company’s legacy project in Orem is University Place, formerly University Mall, originally built in the early 1970s.

In recent years, the company has gone through a $500 million revitalization of the mall to provide residences, office buildings and open green space in addition to shopping options.

In the past decade, Woodbury Corp. has endured and flourished through several major milestones and highlights including celebrating the company’s centennial anniversary in 2019 and the successful inception and management of Woodbury Capital Funds — including Woodbury Strategic Partners, Woodbury Capital II, III, Legacy and Opportunity Zone Funds — comprising approximately $600 million of investor commitments.

“I am really excited to keep working with family members, both my biological and corporate family, who give so much to this business. It’s an honor to be able to work with them and carry this company into the next 100 years,” Taylor Woodbury said.

Woodbury Corp. is currently working on large-scale projects in Utah County and across northern Utah including:

• Vineyard Station, Vineyard city’s first mixed-use, transit-oriented, walkable community. Located on the eastern shore of Utah Lake, Woodbury Corp. and Flagship Homes are currently developing nearly 300 acres of master-planned new development that will offer places to live, work, shop, dine and more, with a promenade running through the center of it leading to Utah Lake.
• The continued revitalization of University Place will include a hotel, more class-A office space and approximately 1,000 additional residential units.
• Continued development of Falcon Hill National Aerospace Research Park. Falcon Hill is one of the most strategically placed aerospace research parks in the nation at Hill Air Force Base in Davis and Weber Counties. This 550- acre private development is under an Air Force Enhanced Use Lease and currently has over 1.1 million square feet of commercial space.
• Holladay Hills, the redevelopment of the former Cottonwood Mall property. Holladay Hills is a 58-acre mixed-use project, which will include living and office space, along with dining, shopping and entertainment options and a central park for gatherings.
• Continued development of the University of Utah Research Park, including 500,000 square feet of existing research building and a new 260,000 square foot state-of-the-art laboratory building.

“We aren’t afraid to tackle a 20-year project. I know I can speak for my family when I say that we are committed to sticking with projects for the long-term to partner with the state and communities to achieve long-term success. I know I have projects I’ll be working on the rest of my career,” Taylor Woodbury said. “There aren’t many businesses that have the ability to say that.”

With $4 billion in assets under management, the Woodbury portfolio includes retail, office, hotel, residential and industrial projects across 16 states.

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When women walk into a jewelry store, Michelle Luchese says, they tend to get “the red carpet rolled out.”

But when she and her then-fiancé, John Ruggiero, went shopping for his wedding ring, Ruggiero says he heard something more like, “There’s a little table in the back of the store, go look at those.”

He typically saw only three or four rings, all of which he generally thought were unaffordable — and none that fit his large fingers.

“I’m like, ‘This is my wedding ring,’” Ruggiero said. “I’m supposed to wear this the rest of my life. Shouldn’t I be a little excited? And instead, it was just a huge hassle.”

That experience inspired the newlyweds to start their company, Manly Bands, in their garage in Rosemary Beach, Fla., in 2016.

Today, after a move to Utah, Manly Bands offers men’s rings made from tungsten, wood from whiskey and wine barrels, antlers, carbon fiber, meteorites and even dinosaur bone. In a military history series, they have made rings of metal from retired aircraft carrier the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk, a Sherman tank and parts of M1 Garand rifles.

“It’s cool watching guys connect to something other than a traditional gold or silver and white gold band,” Ruggiero said. “They really seem to want something that’s more of their personality than the traditional designs.”

The company has branded lines, with rings inspired by Jack Daniels, Fender guitars — some featuring an embedded guitar string — and DC Comics.

Then, earlier this year, the company found itself drawn to certain rings of power.

One ring to bind them

When Ruggiero heard Amazon Studios was planning a new television series prequel to “Lord of the Rings,” he reached out to Warner Bros. “We asked them, ‘Hey, we’d love to make the One Ring,’” he said.

Warner Bros. replied that it couldn’t connect the company to the television show, but it agreed to license rings from the trilogy of books and original movies, Ruggiero said.

Manly Band’s designers started brainstorming ideas for the collection back in March. “We’re really trying to make it fun … a lot of the team love Lord of the Rings,” Ruggiero said.

Of the nine rings made, The Gandalf, The Frodo, The Aragorn, The Legolas, and The Gimli are based on characters that form the fellowship of the ring — who seek to destroy the ever-corrupting One Ring created by the dark lord Sauron.

The company is also making rings for Sauron, the ringwraiths — corrupted men who do his bidding — and Gollum, who obsessed over the One Ring to the point of murdering to obtain it.

And, arguably a chilling choice for a wedding, the One Ring itself, an evil gold band that empowers the wearer to control others “and in the darkness bind them.”

The rings are each designed from different materials — for example, The Frodo contains moss trapped in epoxy resin. The Gimli features the pattern shown on the dwarf’s helmet in the movies. The Legolas has an embedded recurve bow string and The Sauron contains lava rock.

Warner Bros. had to approve each individual design before the launch about a month ago. Since then, The Lord of the Rings line “has been super successful for us,” Ruggiero said. “It’s been among our best sellers.”

Kaelin Douglas, who lives in Fort Worth, Texas, ordered the wedding band based on Gimli for her partner.

“My fiancé was complaining about other selections and how boring the offerings were. Mostly gold or black simple bands,” Douglas said, “while there’s a world of different customizations and flash for women.”

She liked the Gimli design because “it’s subtle enough that no one but a fan would know on first glance,” yet was intricate and gave the impression that “they did their research on the characters,” she said.

“My fiancé is a huge Lord of the Rings fan,” she said, “and we wanted a wedding band that incorporated that without being too overt about what it was.”

‘Who buys the groom’s ring?’

Manly Band’s headquarters and manufacturing space is in Lindon, where it has about 65 employees.

Its staff machines rings from materials that are harder than precious metals, such as tungsten and Damascus steel. Rings made of wood, or with wood inlays, are carved on a lathe, and some rings are coated in Cerakote, a hardy ceramic finish that is used to paint guns and airplane parts.

Most of the rings in the best-selling category run between $300 and $1,000 and the company makes a wide range of sizes.

Manly Bands opened two retail stores in the last year, one at University Place in Orem last February and one in Fashion Place in Murray in September, said Eric Farlow, the company’s chief operating officer.

But the company still sees most purchases made online, where it began its sales.

Because some people hesitate to spend hundreds on a ring they can’t see, “we heavily invested in content creation,” Ruggiero said, in order to show the products up close and explain the differences between materials.

“We do a lot of YouTube content. We help people learn about rings, wedding rings, men’s wedding rings, we talk about the different materials, the different styles, why they should buy from us,” he said.

In these videos, often shot against a backdrop of sports equipment, whiskey bottles and gaming gear, company reps show off closeups of rings, compare their composition (”Pros and cons of wood rings”) and talk about wedding-related questions.

“Who buys the groom’s ring?” gets into ring history — American men didn’t start widely wearing wedding bands until the 1940s — and “WTF Did They Put On Their Ring?” shares what recent customers asked to have engraved on their bands. (Examples include ”I’m in it for the sex,” “No more diets for me,” “Put me back on” and “Don’t lose this one,” and on the sweeter side: “Wife’s B-Day” with the date, and “Two wishes left.”)

Manly Bands plans to make upcoming rings from a 1940s Willys Jeep fender and scrap metal — with authentic damage — from a B-17 bomber.

Designing rings is “a fun challenge,” Luchese said, as they ask with each new project, “how can we be different, better, more interesting, more innovative?”

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