One thing is for sure about Florala’s Dunham, Thornton and Serrano families – they’re “wild, wild” about their wings.

As owners and operators of the city’s newest eating establishment, “Wild Wild Wings,” the family is just as enthusiastic about their food as they are the ties that brought them to Alabama.

“You can definitely say this business is a family affair,” said Faith Thornton, sister-in-law to owner Elliot Thornton. “My in-law’s grandparents, Rosie and Dallas Dunham, moved to Florala about nine years ago from Okeechobee, Fla. They had a barbecue place down there, and always said they wanted to open a restaurant here.”

Thornton said when Rosie passed away in January, other family members moved to Covington County to be closer to Dunham.

“My husband is in Afghanistan, so I’m here, too,” she said. “We wanted to go with a western theme inside, and he’s the one who came up with the name.”

She said when family members decided to pursue the restaurant idea, “things fell into place,” and so did the menu.

“Down in Florida, everybody would go on and on about the wings there,” Thornton said. “Here, no one is selling wings like we are, and we thought it would be a perfect fit.”

Dunham said each of the store’s eight signature sauces – which range from sweet to “make my day” hot – are homemade.

“In Florida, we couldn’t keep our smoked wings stocked,” he said. “They’d fly out. I think these here may be even better.”

Wings are deep-fried and then drenched with one’s choice of sauce, he said.

A six-wing dinner, which includes two sides and a roll, starts at $5.99. For families, there are a variety of options, starting with the “wings for two” 40 wing meal with a pint of coleslaw and a pint of baked beans or green beans, two large onion rings or fries and four rolls; to a family pack with 60 wings, three pints of sides, double order of onion rings or fries, and six rolls.

For those who may not enjoy wings, Thornton recommends the Philly cheese steak sandwich.

“Plus, there are other things on the menu, too,” she said. “Hamburgers, chicken wraps, shrimp po’boys – all that come in either a basket or a dinner.”

For kids, one can find wings, popcorn shrimp, corndogs, grilled cheeses or chicken tenders.

Friday will mark the restaurant’s grand opening, she said. It is located on Fifth Avenue, across from the veteran’s monument.

Store hours are 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. during June 24th week, with new hours of operation announced next week.