Wingers Alehouse Franchisee Opens Second Nevada Unit

Fan Turned Franchisee Expands With Second Wingers Alehouse in Nevada

For Juanita Gaeta, Wingers Alehouse was never just another restaurant. Growing up in Elko, Nevada, the local Wingers was the family’s favorite place for celebrations, gatherings, and casual nights out. She remembers it as the one place everyone could agree on because it offered something for all ages.

According to Gaeta, the brand stood out because it combined great food, beer options for adults, kids’ menus, and a warm atmosphere that made it ideal for families. Years later, that longtime admiration has turned into ownership.

Today, Gaeta and her husband and business partner, Dusty Shipp, are preparing to open their second Wingers Alehouse location. After purchasing an existing restaurant in Winnemucca, Nevada, two years ago, the couple is now planning a June opening in Fernley, Nevada, part of the Reno-Tahoe-Sparks metropolitan area. Even with a second location underway, Gaeta is already thinking bigger and hopes to secure a third unit in the future.

Hospitality Experience Runs in the Family

Gaeta’s path to restaurant ownership started early. At just 19 years old, she helped her brother launch and operate a Mexican restaurant in Elko. Later, she partnered with her father to purchase and run a small bar, which they operated for around six years.

Although the family eventually stepped away from hospitality, Gaeta says something always felt missing. By then, she had built a successful career as a real estate broker and investor, but when she learned the Wingers Alehouse in Winnemucca was available, the opportunity immediately felt right.

She also recalls how much her mother loved Wingers wings, calling them one of the foods she always craved. When Gaeta shared the ownership opportunity, her mother was thrilled by the idea of the family owning a restaurant they had loved for years.

America’s Small-Town Alehouse Strategy

Winnemucca, Fernley, and Elko represent the type of communities where Wingers Alehouse performs especially well. The brand refers to itself as America’s Small-Town Alehouse, with a business model centered around franchise growth in small to mid-sized markets.

Rather than depending only on large metropolitan areas, Wingers focuses on locations where restaurants can succeed with smaller footprints, leaner staffing models, and less pressure from national chains that often require larger population bases to thrive.

CEO Eric Slaymaker, who co-founded the company with his brother Scott Slaymaker, says the brand has achieved strong results in towns on metro outskirts and rural markets such as Vernal, Utah; Nampa, Idaho; Ontario, Oregon; and West Jordan, Utah.

Built on Comfort, Community and Nostalgia

Wingers first launched in 1993 when the original Wingers American Diner opened in Bountiful, Utah. Since then, the company has grown well beyond its Salt Lake City roots and expects to reach 24 locations by the end of the summer, primarily throughout the Mountain West and Midwest.

Its alehouse model includes up to 101 beer varieties, known as Alehouse 101, featuring regional craft brews. The brand has also introduced an upgraded restaurant design with elevated yet comfortable interiors.

While comfort, community, and nostalgia are now popular restaurant trends, Wingers has focused on those values for years. The company’s mission is to create amazing experiences. Décor often celebrates the surrounding community, including locally inspired artwork featuring craft beer labels. Seating is designed for guests to relax and stay longer.

The menu remains led by fan favorites such as chicken wings, Sticky Fingers, and Wingers’ Original Amazing Sauce. Guests also enjoy salads, burgers, and dishes influenced by Southwestern and Asian flavors.

Winnemucca Sales Have Doubled

Since purchasing the Winnemucca location, which had been open since 2012, Gaeta and Shipp say sales have doubled.

They credit that performance to consistent reinvestment in upgrades and maintenance, higher standards for customer service, strong food quality, and building a team filled with positive, motivated staff members.

Gaeta says the community has welcomed them warmly over the last two years. Because the owners spend significant time in the restaurant, guests know them by first name and often introduce their children. Their 5-year-old daughter, Aly, also joins them, wearing an apron, pretending to take orders, and helping wipe tables.

The family also stays active in local events and participates in the chamber of commerce. Gaeta says becoming part of the community is just as important in Fernley as it has been in Winnemucca.

Commitment and Strong Management Team

In the beginning, the couple made the 1.5-hour drive from Elko to Winnemucca six days a week. Shipp, who owns a construction company, would often drop Gaeta at the restaurant before heading to a nearby subdivision where he was building homes.

Today, their visits are down to roughly twice per week, something Gaeta says they are comfortable with thanks to a dependable management team.

She specifically credits general manager Julian Carvajal and kitchen lead Eddie Carvajal, Julian’s father, who previously worked at Gaeta’s brother’s restaurant.

Leadership Starts at the Top

Gaeta and Shipp place major value on personal and professional development. They work with leadership and mindset coaches to help them reach their goals and bring the same growth mindset into hiring.

Gaeta says they now clearly understand the type of people they want on the team—employees who want to be there, appreciate the opportunity, seek growth, and maintain a positive attitude. She says candidates either fit the culture or they do not.

The couple also believes appreciation matters. They reward staff through family parties, gifts, awards, and even a surprise Starbucks trip. Just as importantly, they provide the tools, equipment, support, and workplace stability employees need to succeed.

Gaeta says Wingers founders Eric and Scott Slaymaker model these same leadership qualities. As a longtime fan, meeting them felt like meeting celebrities. She says they have visited the restaurant multiple times, shown genuine interest in improvements, maintain frequent quality assurance support, and welcome franchisee feedback through an open-door policy.

For Gaeta, the lesson is clear: leadership begins at the top, and strong leadership creates strong businesses.

Learn more about Wingers Alehouse franchising: https://franchisevoice.com/wingers-restaurant-and-alehouse