‘We wanted to start a tradition’: Chicken wing cook-off set for Myrtle Beach area
Chicken wings and beer: Is there a better combination?
Not according to Jordan Ridgeway, a co-owner of The Car Store in Socastee who is among the organizers of the 1st Wing Fling in the Spring cook-off competition that is scheduled for Saturday, April 17.
“I don’t know a whole lot of people that don’t like beer and chicken wings. That’s kind of where we landed with it — something that everybody would like, something that was different,” said Ridgeway, who is organizing the event along with his father and co-owner of The Car Store, Mike Ridgeway, and the business’ manager, Chris Sacawa.
“You’ve got the chili cook-off, you’ve got the mac-and-cheese cook-off. We wanted to start a tradition of our own and hopefully make it our own thing.”
The event, whose proceeds aside from expenses will all go to local nonprofit Help 4 Kids/Backpack Buddies, will feature 11 local businesses, including three food trucks, in the parking lot of The Car Store, 4625 Dick Pond Road, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jordan Ridgeway said one of the main goals was to feature local businesses since many have felt the strain of the coronavirus pandemic in the last year or so.
“That was one of the main goals other than of course the charity that we’re associated with,” he said. “We’re hoping for a good turnout so that some of these local businesses can kind of get that face-to-face communication with people and hand out some of their flyers and stuff. We’re just trying to help local business and get everybody out and about again so hopefully things can get back to normal.
“In times like these I wanted to keep it focused on small, local businesses and not big franchise stuff. So that’s kind of what we geared it towards.”
The format of the event will involve tickets that are good for one wing, which can be purchased for $1 each or 11 for $10 in order to try each business’ offering. The event, which has no entry fee, will include seven judges who will determine a winner, though patrons will be asked for a vote upon leaving in order to crown a people’s choice award winner as well.
Beer will be available via Tidal Creek Brewhouse and participating businesses will be allowed to sell other menu items as long as they provide wings for the competition. The event will also feature live music from Charlie Floyd, games, a bouncy house and other activities.
“There’s something for the whole family,” Ridgeway said.
The Car Store, a local business in the area for nearly a decade, has put on similar community events over the years, though this is the first cook-off.
“We do a lot of events. I’d say like two a year for the past four or five years. We wanted to do something a little different and we wanted to involve food. That’s one of our favorite things up here,” Ridgeway said. “Somebody threw out the chicken wing cook-off, so that’s kind of what we rolled with because I’m not sure why we’ve never had one. If we have had one in the Myrtle Beach area, I don’t really know about it.”
Ridgeway said Sacawa has a close relationship with Help 4 Kids, and added that The Car Store has been looking forward to partnering with the nonprofit for some time.
“We’re hoping to get a few thousand dollars worth of stuff donated over to Help 4 Kids/Backpack Buddies,” Ridgeway said.
Ridgeway said hand sanitizer will be available and social distancing will be encouraged. Masks will not be required as the event is outside and the fact that its nature involves eating and drinking. Additional parking will be available at Calvary Christian School, which is located next to The Car Store.
Businesses competing to be the king of wings
- Wing Kings
- Barfield’s Bar & Grille
- The G.O.A.T.
- CW’s Wing and Rib Shack
- Salty’s Pub & Grub
- Remedies Bar & Grill
- Suck Bang Blow
- Wrangler Deli & Goods
- Street Grub (food truck)
- Let’s Ride BBQ (food truck)
- Swinos Barbecue (food truck)
This story was originally published April 11, 2021 at 6:58 AM.
