TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — "We actually opened our doors on February 16th, 2019."
You can call Velvia Evans optimistic.
"My goal is to spread "All the Love" wings across Tucson."
She owns the 'ATL Wings' location on University and Fourth avenue.
"Business was great before the pandemic."
All that optimism came in handy after her first year as a business owner, when like other businesses she made the decision to shut down at the start of a global pandemic.
"Immediately, March 2020, we actually shut the doors."
When one door shut, ever the optimist, Evans did what comes naturally.
"You know, by the grace of god we were able to open a window."
Her entire living and the living of the people who rely on her for work, relied on this one window.
"If we had not had that window, we would have been in much trouble."
That trouble could have lasted a long time.
"We went one solid year completely take-out."
Evans said she only recently made the decision to open up completely.
"We opened the doors for dine-in on March 20th of 2021."
Evans said the window that threw her business a lifeline, kept the tip jar filled and wings in the fryer is now a testament to how much customers want to buy her sizzle.
"That lets me know that when the city opens up again, we are ready and able to do whatever, and that's going to be a lot."
So much so, she said, she's planning to open up another location.
"We're coming, one by one we're coming."
The next one will employ about 10 people, and she said it'll open in mid-June on Oracle and Limberlost.
