Sharing Love - Feeding People

Kelly is by nature a giver. She shares her love through her food, but also by investing in and giving back to her community. Ikonic Wings opened its doors in the The Landing at Hawks Prairie in Lacey in November of 2022. They may be the new kid on the block, but they’re quickly becoming a local favorite. And while this is Kelly’s first brick-and-mortar store, she’s spent a lifetime in the kitchen – first at her grandmother’s side, and then as a cook in the military for 22 years.

“My grandmother was the head cook at a hotel restaurant for over 40 years,” Kelly recalls as she removed a bucket of marinated chicken from the walk-in and got her station prepped for breading the wings. “I used to watch her cook all the time and I remember liking how her food brought people together and made them happy. Food does that, especially if it’s good food.”

Kelly didn’t grow up with a lot of the things that make life comfortable, but her family always had big family meals and under her grandmother’s instruction, she fell in love with cooking. When she entered the military, she naturally gravitated toward the kitchen. The early mornings and large-scale volume were challenging, but Kelly stuck to her path of using food to bring people together.

Chicken Wings as an Art Form

What makes these wings “ikonic”? Kelly marinates them in buttermilk, then dips them not just once in flour seasoned with her special spices, but twice, giving the wings that incredible crispiness they’re known for. There are no frozen, pre-breaded wings going out of her shop. Kelly and her small team, including husband Jerry, do everything by hand. Wings are cooked fresh to order, then either hand-dipped in the sauce of your choosing, like Dmac’s Badass Buffalo or Sweet Blaze (our favorite) or tossed with a dry-rub of salt and vinegar or buffalo lemon pepper (you must get this if you know what’s good for you).

Kelly’s got the timing so spot on that she’ll drop the wings into the fryer and set the timer (she cooks her wings a bit longer for that extra crunch). At the four-minute mark she’ll drop the waddles. What’s a waddle? Something a chicken kind of does, if you think about it, but in this case, it’s Ikonic’s take on a twisty, seasoned potato wedge that comes with the wings when you order a combo. With a few minutes left on the clock she slathers a home-made buttermilk biscuit with honey butter and pops it in the warmer. Fresh from the kitchen, these wings will stay crispy until you get them home … if they make it that far.

Giving Back - Building Community

When her time in the military came to a close, Kelly knew she wanted to open a restaurant. “I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur, I just couldn’t find the time because we were constantly moving around in the military.” When she retired, she new she didn’t want to work for anybody else but herself. She had a lot of ideas, but she kept coming back to her love of nurturing people through food, and Ikonic Wings came to life.

Kelly also has an insatiable passion for making other people better. “Whenever I can, I try to give back in any way I can, especially to youth and young professionals. I’m happy when I’m helping to support those causes,” she shares. She’s also passionate about supporting elderly people in need and supporting the American Cancer Society, experiencing first-hand friends and family who are dealing with cancer. Having a small staff means Kelly is at the fryer often, so being able to take time to support those causes is really important to her.

Exceptional Service = Repeat Customers

Just as important to Kelly as double-dipping her chicken is her attention to providing quality customer service to her customers. “We make sure that we provide the best customer service possible by making sure we’re always focused on the quality of your food and making sure it’s consistent,” she shares. “At the end of the day, we just really want to make sure you’ve had an unforgettably good food experience with us.” The highlight for Kelly is when people see them as a loyal business that gives back to the community. Her advice to others wanting to start their own business? “Dream it, believe it, activate it – and never listen to the naysayers. I’m not saying following your dream will be easy, but if you stay focused on your goal, you can make it happen.”