Working With A Net

Crain’s Detroit Business:

Fourteen years ago, Michael Ansley opened his first Buffalo Wild Wings franchise.

Then 25 and a recent graduate from the University of Dayton in Ohio, Ansley had become a fan of the restaurant and thought its formula was one that would pay off.

Back then, Ansley said, franchising was a more casual arrangement.

Ansley lacked restaurant and business experience; as a franchisee, he thought he’d get help with both.

So he and a then-partner borrowed the $25,000 it cost in 1996 to buy a Buffalo Wild Wings franchise and opened shop in Ypsilanti.

“In the early days, it was more of a handshake and here’s our document. I had no idea what it said, and luckily it worked out,” said Ansley, who advises prospective franchisees to be more aware. “It’s really important to understand what you’re getting into.”

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Photo: Glenn Triest.