russell byars

long-awaited addition to Crawfordsville's restaurant and bar scene will open to the public Sunday, and just in time for the Indianapolis Colts game against Kansas City.

Buffalo Wild Wings, which has been under construction since March in the Woodcreek Shoppes on U.S. 231 South, will open its doors 11 a.m. Sunday, and it is expected to be busy.

"It's going to be a mad house," bar manager Thommi Weliever said.
The restaurant had a VIP night Friday, to which 90 invitations were sent out to different organizations and groups throughout the county, such as the Chamber of Commerce, as well as local business owners and people who have been part of the restaurant's development, Weliever said.

"They kind of stuck it out with us," she said.

On opening day, customers can watch the Colts game on one of 40 TVs in the restaurant and bar or try one of the bar's 26 draft and 32 bottled beers as well as wings, sandwiches and sides. A modified Buffalo Wild Wings-themed ambulance will be in the parking lot for visitors to check out.
The restaurant has 106 employees, including Weliever and two service managers.

"We've got a great staff and we've got a lot of hardworking, smart people," Weliever said.

Although the restaurant has been a long time in the making, with problems getting contractors from Indianapolis and other areas to come to Crawfordsville and work on it, Weliever is excited it is finally time to open.
"I'm excited for Crawfordsville; I'm excited for everyone involved," she said. "I think it took too long, but I'm glad it finally happened. I'm just excited there's someplace that people can go to watch any variety of things and they don't have to break their necks trying to look."

Weliever started with Buffalo Wild Wings in August, and trained in West Lafayette and worked in the Willow Lake restaurant in Indianapolis training for the Crawfordsville restaurant's opening. Buffalo Wild Wings will be open 11 a.m. every day and will be open until 12:30 a.m. Sundays and as late as 3 a.m. weekdays and Saturday.

Buffalo Wild Wings isn't the only place excited about its arrival in town. When it opens its doors, not only will it attract its own customers, but will have other local businesses hopeful they can attract some of the same patrons.
Buffalo Wild Wings will be in the same shopping center as Curves, Blondie's Hair Salon and the Armed Forces Career Center.

"Business has picked up over the last four or five months, but once the sports bar opens up, we are hoping our business will grow that much more," Blondie's owner Becky Clouser said. "There isn't anything like Buffalo Wild Wings in Crawfordsville and everyone who finds out about it has seemed quite excited about it coming here."

Another restaurant on U.S. 231 that is expecting help from the Buffalo Wild Wings coming to town is Steak 'n' Shake, which opened its doors Labor Day last year and has been doing well in Crawfordsville, said General Manager Donna Bridgewater.
"Our opening last year was one of the biggest for a Steak 'n' Shake and it helps that the chain has such a large guest base," Bridgewater said. "We are a very well-known restaurant, and we have really been doing well here so far."

Bridgewater said she expects the opening of Buffalo Wild Wings to only help with their customer base.

"The two restaurants are two very different places in terms of what is offered," Bridgewater said. "Buffalo Wild Wings is going to bring in more customers from out-of-town places and with that those people will see what else Crawfordsville has to offer, and hopefully it will bring them back and help the rest of us out as well."
Sgt. 1st Class Russell W. Parasky of the Armed Forces Career Center said they are also happy to have the restaurant as their neighbors.

"We are happy to be over here, and with the addition of the Buffalo Wild Wings it will bring some added attention to us, and hopefully people will come talk to us if they are interested," he said.

Curves is also in the Woodcreek Shoppes and Robin Byars said it has seen consistent traffic since it opened four years ago.
"I am not really sure what the addition of Buffalo Wild Wings will do for us, but I am pretty sure it will only help and possibly allow others to see we are here and know we are here for them to join," Byars said.

Buffalo Wild Wings owner Pete Watson said BW3's management is also excited about coming to Crawfordsville.

"From what we can tell, it is a great town and will be a great opportunity for us," Watson said. "We love that there is a Wabash College in Crawfordsville and DePauw isn't too far away, which will attract attention.
"We also realize there isn't a whole lot of competition in terms of a sports bars in Crawfordsville and with all of the other new places going up in Crawfordsville we are very confident that we will be able to strive there."

Everyone is the area is excited as Watson is with the addition of Buffalo Wild Wings and he said he is happy to finally get the chance to bring one to Crawfordsville.

"It has taken us a long time to come to Crawfordsville, but we are just happy to now have the chance," Watson said. "There is a lot of opportunities in Indiana with the smaller cities because Buffalo Wild Wings does have a smaller marker prototype and the name alone will attract attention and customers. - A Yutan man accused of manslaughter made his first appearance in Saunders County Court on Tuesday.


Lee Koenig, 50, was arrested Saturday for being a felon in possession of a firearm following the fatal shooting of Russell L. Christianson.
Official charges were filed on Monday. In addition to the firearms charge, Koenig was also charged with manslaughter.
Shaking slightly as he took his place before the judge's bench, Koenig answered Judge Marvin Miller's questions regarding his understanding of his rights and the charges filed against him.
Both charges are Class III felonies that carry a minimum sentence of one year and a maximum sentence of 20 years.
Koenig indicated that he would not have sufficient funds to post 10 percent of the $500,000 bail that had previously been set. He also indicated that he would likely not have the funds with which to hire an attorney.
"I was actually supposed to go for a medical disability hearing today," said Koenig in response to Miller's questions.
Miller initially sought to appoint Public Defender Tom Klein to the case. However, Klein's office indicated his office would have a conflict with the case. Miller appointed Attorney John Sohl to defend Koenig.
After consulting with his client, Sohl requested that the bond be reduced. Deputy County Attorney Andy Lange expressed some concerns about that, noting that the offense of which Koenig was accused was severe and also that he had a previous criminal record.
Koenig was convicted in 1992 on possession of cocaine with intent to deliver and served time in a federal prison.
However, Sohl argued that Koenig was not a flight risk, citing the fact that his family all lived in the area and that Koenig had two minor children for which he was the custodial parent. Since he was released from prison, Sohl said his client had only been cited once for possession of marijuana.
After considering the arguments, Miller decided to lower the bond to $250,000. He was remanded to the custody of the Saunders County Sheriff's Department until such time as that bond could be posted.
The shooting of which Koenig is accused was reported at 5:20 p.m. Saturday. It took place northeast of Yutan on an acreage near County Road 0.
In reviewing the Saunders County Sheriff's office investigation from this weekend's incident, Tingelhoff said his office is charging this as an unintentional death.
Manslaughter is charged when a person causes the unintentional death of a person while in the commission of an unlawful act.
Pat Koenig, Lee Koenig's brother, said it was simply a tragic accident. Pat Koenig lives with Lee and Lee's teenage sons on an acreage he owns outside Yutan.
Pat Koenig said he wasn't home Saturday but had spoken to his brother, who told him he was trying to kill coyotes.
He said his brother told him he thought Christiansen and his son were hunting elsewhere on the property, far from where he stood on his porch.
"He thought he was doing me a favor and getting
For Watson this will be the 13th location he has a hand in and his partner on this project is Jeff Hammel.

"We expect this to be a great thing for all of Montgomery County and the surrounding areas," Watson said. "We are excited with the direction Crawfordsville is heading and we are really looking forward to bringing Buffalo Wild Wings to Crawfordsville."