Brea gets a Buffalo Wild Wings, after NIMBYs chases them out of Santa Ana

The world’s largest Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant and sports bar opened to the public at 260 S. Brea Blvd. in Brea, on Monday, May 23.  Backed by local investors including several Southern California baseball and football players, the new $5 million restaurant is the latest redevelopment effort for downtown Brea by local business owner and former sports agent, Dwight Manley, who grew up in the town, according to Restaurant News.

Did you know that a Buffalo Wild Wings was going to open up in Santa Ana, over by Orchard Hardware on 17th and Tustin, back in 2008?  That didn’t work out though as a handful of NIMBY residents in the northeastern part of Santa Ana protested the establishment’s Conditional Use Permit (CUP.)  Eventually the owners of the proposed restaurant cleared out of town, abandoning all hope of ever being able to open for business here in Santa Ana.

Here is what the NIMBYs’ leader, Mike Tardif, posted about their protest on the Orange Juice blog article about the ill-fated Santa Ana Buffalo Wild Wings:

Dear Mayor Pulido and Members of the Santa Ana City Council:

We hereby request that the City Council call a public hearing concerning the alcohol (ABC) Conditional Use Permit granted to Buffalo Wild Wings, by the Planning Commission, for on-site sale of alcoholic beverages.

The residents of Parkwood, Meredith and Portola neighborhoods are very concerned that the negative effects of this “sports bar” on their neighborhoods have not been properly taken into consideration.

Respectfully submitted by,

Tom Childress
Kathy Ingersoll
Lee Ingersoll
Brad Day, Board Member Meredith/Parkwood HOA
Andy Martinez
Emmy Martinez
George R. Staff
Chrissy Staff
Rick Legowski
Peggy Legowski
Mike Tardif
Mercedes Tardif
Bridget Tardif
Tony Diaz
Jose Diaz
Carolyn Diaz
Muriel McCormick
Celesta Severtsen
Michael Severtsen
Jimmy Kabaian
Thomas Accongio
Nadine Accongio
Maria Cabrera
Milo Van Beck

These people are probably proud of themselves.  But what did they accomplish?  They cost our city jobs and tax revenue.  The newspapers are praising the new Buffalo Wild Wings in Brea today – but it should have been ours, here in Santa Ana, were it not for the selfish actions of a handful of NIMBYs.  What a shame.

So do you want to know what you missed out on fellow Santa Ana resident?  Here’s a few comments about the new Buffalo Wild Wings in Brea, from their Yelp page:

  • “This place is definitely the place to be for a while… it’s bringin in a lot of foot traffic into downtown Brea.”
  • “This place was recently opened in Downtown Brea…must say it is in a prime spot…there was a lot of people there for some good food and of course the games on TV.”
  • The restaurant overall is huge. There are TV screens on every walls. I will say that this place is a cool place to “hang out, watch a game, eat some wings, and drink some beers.”
  • “Inside is fantastic. The downtown Brea area is a void of sports viewing bars. Literally no good place to watch a game or two…until now.”
  • “LOVE this place! Incredible wings and flavors, like fifty different TVs (even have ones in the bathrooms lol), huge capacity, poker/trivia competitions, crazy wild and fun atmosphere and much more all for reasonable pricing as well.”
  • “The place itself is awesome – TV’s on every wall, all playing sports; the ambience upstairs is totally cool with the open deck and fire/water fountain upstairs.  Again, the place itself is 5 stars.”
  • “All in all a great experience…..Would definitely come again.”

Yep.  We could have had a Buffalo Wild Wings in Santa Ana.  But the NIMBYs killed it…and now it is in Brea instead.  Go figure.

Art Pedroza Editor
Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.
Art Pedroza

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

View Comments

  • Mike and junior,

    First let's stop pretending to be two different people. We all know that you are the same person. When will you be honest about that?

    Second, it is quite clear that you have left some of Mill's comments out of your rants to the council and Straka, in particular his reference to you as junior. Why delete that?

    Third, BWW was brought up in the post in question by admin and Mill's comments were directed to admin and not you. You have clearly left this fact out of your rant.

    On May 17, 2011 at 9:57PM admin posted:

    "Junior, Maybe you should have allowed the Buffalo Wild Wings to open up. Might have given them something better to do?"

    Mill responded to admin regarding that comment and it is clear for all to see when they look at it in the proper context. He did not engage in an "unprovoked attack" on you, he responded to admin by speaking truth.

    As I said previously, Mill can be an asshole, but you are a complete dick making an issue out of nothing. What a fool you are.

  • wheres junior said: "Mill responded to admin regarding that comment and it is clear for all to see when they look at it in the proper context. He did not engage in an “unprovoked attack” on you, he responded to admin by speaking truth."

    Are you saying that admin. provoked him - and therefore he is entitled to attack me on a personal basis? That is just nuts. I tire of your illogical postings - I do not intend to respond to your lack of logical reasoning further.

    Mills' response to admin. was an unprovoked attack on me - neither junior or myself had said anything about this to him. Whether it was true or not has NOTHING to do with it - it was unnecessary harassment and violates the Code.

    • Mike,

      It was not an attack. He rightly pointed out your ridiculous position re bww. If you cannot handle the truth I suggest you get out of politics.

  • I had a discussion with Mike Tardif - we both think that it hilarious that you losers go all whacko about this is it junior or Mike Tardif thing - ROTFLMAO!

    Admin. - about posting my comment history - do whatever you think is right.

    • Junior/Mike,

      You may need help we cannot offer. I think they call your condition "schizophrenia," or "multiple personality disorder."

  • Admin said: "It was not an attack."

    Then why do Sean Mill and Admin say so often that comments you do not like are "attacks" against you both or your minions?

    Admin. - Don't be concerned, I can handle it all.

  • "You may need help we cannot offer. I think they call your condition “schizophrenia,” or “multiple personality disorder.”

    It is a f**king joke a**hole.

  • Mike and junior,

    You are pretending to be two different people and you call me illogical? Did you forget to take your meds today?

    I read the entire thread and do not see where Mill personally attacked you. You admit to being against BWW and the dispensaries, Mill pointed that out. Though I would be ashamed if I were you, his telling the truth is not an attack. Stop being such a pussy and start being honest. You can start by admitting that you are both Mike and junior. I am sure admin can prove it. Admin???

  • To wheres junior,

    Absolutely admin. can prove who I am - he knows who I am. Hell, I came out as "junior" at a fundraiser that Mike Tardif organized for his failed run for City of Santa Ana council.

    Frustrating isn't it?

  • Mike and junior,

    Frustrating? No. Crazy? Yes.

    The only one who is gonna get frustrated is you. Mill is going anywhere and the council and city attorney don't give a shit about you or anything you have to say.

    Maybe you need to send your letter to T-Rac, Kamala Harris and Eric Holder too.

  • Hey admin,

    When this article was first posted there was a sub-category titled "Mike Tardif" in your "Posted in" section below the article title.

    It is not there now - what happened to that?

    Mike Tardif doesn't deserve a sub-category? A character as infamous as you, your readers and Sean Mill portray him as surely deserves a sub-category.

  • Admin & Sean Mill,

    The City of Orange is getting a new Buffalo Wild Wings - and guess what. Like the new BWW in Brea, the new BWW at the Block in Orange is more than 1,000 feet from residential.

    A BWW sports bar should NOT be a few feet from residential as both of you schlubs wanted for Santa Ana.

    Sean Mill and admin want to ruin Santa Ana neighborhoods for a few tax dollars - shameful.

    • Mike,

      The sad thing is we could have had a nice BWW too, if not for the actions of a few NIMBYs. Now the people of Orange and Brea are laughing at us...or at you anyway.

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