AJ’s Hot Wings & More serves up eats in 3 locations

Published 8:42 am Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Those that have experienced such a thing know that just because you are on a path does not mean it is your destination. Antoine Wiley spent four years serving in the U.S. Marine Corps before moving to Milledgeville and attending Georgia College & State University. 

At GCSU, he was a management information systems major, later holding several positions while working at Central State Hospital for nine years. 

It was during that time that Wiley found himself unable to shake a lingering passion for cooking.

Finally, he acted on it when he decided to open AJ’s Hot Wings & More in 2009 following the hospital’s partial closure. 

Fifteen years later, the business has grown to three (and a half) AJ’s locations — 2601 N. Columbia St., Suite H, and AJ’s To Go at 400 S. Elbert St. in Milledgeville to go along with a location in Gordon. 

Wiley also has a partnership in Atlanta with Good Eats Healthy Living, an eatery that has taken part of its menu from AJ’s while also having another side of the menu for those who are more health-conscious. 

AJ’s has a rather extensive menu that includes wings in several different flavors including lemon pepper and honey BBQ. AJ’s also offers hamburgers that are made in-house, cheesesteaks, hot dogs, seafood options and salad. 

The family meal deals feed four to five people for $45.99. AJ’s offers pick-up, delivery, call-in, and online ordering options to customers in addition to doing full-service catering. 

The origin of said menu, Wiley says, is kind of a funny story. His sister, Felicia, owns Felicia’s Hot Wings & More in Wrightsville, which she opened a couple years before AJ’s was even a thing. 

Wiley would go help her out from time to time, and when he took a menu home, his wife at the time just changed the name on it to AJ’s. This means the selection of food was not something that he came up with, but rather he took it and just ran with it. It has given AJ’s Hot Wings & More a menu that features something for the entire family no matter what the craving. The trick to running several locations, Wiley says, is having good management. 

AJ’s management includes his relative Rachel, who serves as the general manager and oversees each location. She helps guide the managers at each location and they shepherd the other employees. 

The system has worked well for AJ’s Hot Wings & More. 

Each AJ’s location also uses the same high-quality ingredients and recipes to ensure that the quality of the food remains consistent. 

Wiley said he truly enjoys the cooking aspect of running AJ’s and taking care of customers. 

“To see people’s smiles on their faces when they get a good meal from you is pretty awesome,” he said. 

Despite having many opportunities to leave, Milledgeville has become home to Wiley and a place that he loves. 

For more information visit https://ajshotwings.com/.