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Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Homemade sauces bring ‘unmatched’ flavor, heat to wings and seafood at Crazy Legs - MLive.com

FLINT, MI — If you can stand the heat, there are two new homemade sauces to bring home to use while cooking in your own kitchen from a popular Flint-based restaurant.

Crazy Legs is now offering their house-made Ranch Lemon Pepper and Crazy Heat sauces in 12-ounce bottles for purchase. And they do not disappoint, said Wilson Rogers III.

“With Ranch Lemon Pepper, everybody thinks it’s gonna be ranch dressing on it,” said Rogers, co-owner of Crazy Legs. “I’m not going to get into the secrets of our sauce, but it’s our best seller. Crazy Heat is up there too as another main seller. We always want something distinct that separates us from everybody, and our sauce is definitely that.”

DeVante Powell, co-owner of Crazy Legs, said others have tried to imitate their homemade specialty sauces, and he looks at that “as a trophy.”

He said it is a sign they are doing something very right.

“People can’t duplicate these sauces,” Powell said. “If you love that taste, you can’t get it anywhere else. If you want Crazy Heat or Ranch Lemon Pepper, you have to get it here.”

Rogers and Powell have been business partners in the Flint area for years, though they didn’t set out to be in the food or restaurant industry.

The two met in ninth grade, graduating from Flint Southwestern Classical Academy in 2004.

Each went on to graduate from Baker College locally with a degree in business management and human services, respectively.

“We always want something distinct that separates us from everybody. If you want something crazy, you come to us. That’s the Crazy Legs way,” Powell said. “You want some chicken loaded with cheese and peppers and fries, you can’t go anywhere else to get that. You want a loaded turkey leg with a whole bunch of different sauces, you only can go to one place.”

There are seven styles of sauce available for the wings, including ranch lemon pepper, sweet BBQ, Korean teriyaki, peach habanero, Hawaiian meech, garlic parm cheese and crazy crazy heat. The wings can also be served plain.

The garlic parm cheese flavor was added to the menu four months ago, and it has quickly become popular on the menu.

“You know, everywhere the traditional garlic parm is a wet sauce, but we actually add parmesan cheese sprinkles on it,” Powell said. “So when you hit it, you aren’t just getting any regular old garlic parm. You’re getting a full new flavor with that added cheese. It’s different. It doesn’t taste like anything you’ve ever had.”

Combos are available with loaded fries as well.

Crazy Legs serves a homemade Kool-Aid and smoothies. Salads and wraps are also available.

Loaded fries are also air-fried as potatoes topped with white queso (cheese), jalapeño and sweet peppers with a choice of shrimp or chicken. The twist, Powell said, is adding one of the sauce flavors on top.

“Everything you touch with us, you get flavor guaranteed,” Powell said. “Everything is word of mouth. It’s been crazy how much business has been picking up.”

The budding young entrepreneurs, each 34 years old, already have their foot into a number of local business endeavors, including owning a facility that houses 10 businesses.

In September 2019, they realized the need to provide a snack in their Flint business mall.

Initially, wings weren’t even on the menu. That didn’t last long.

The two created a unique concept to air fry wings, a technique that is not produced often in east Michigan, which is exactly why they doubled down to make the idea into a reality. They started with three air fryers, and now have 20.

A shortage of chicken wings in 2021 had a large impact on Crazy Legs, seeing a 30% loss in business, Powell said.

The business pivoted in that moment and began providing chicken tenders, pushing their boneless products and their seafood sales saw an all-time high.

“The wing shortage hurt us tremendously. We had to improvise,” Powell said. “Chicken tenders, boneless wings, you name it. It’s actually what started bringing on new menu favorites like salmon and breaded shrimp. But the good news is, wings never go out of style. Wings are in now and bigger than ever.

“Salmon loaded fries and the salmon salad have become popular. The salmon in the air fryer — that is unmatched,” he said. “Plus, we just added a shrimp wrap and a salmon wrap that you must try.”

The increase in seafood sales is apparent, Powell said.

Before the chicken wing shortage, sales would be about 80% poultry, 20% seafood. Now, the numbers are 68% poultry, 32% seafood.

“Seafood is on the rise, and it’s good for business. It’s a balance,” Powell said.

RELATED: Crazy Legs offers flavorful wings and loaded fries in Flint and Grand Blanc

The business soared by word of mouth in Flint, so much so that Crazy Legs opened a second location in Grand Blanc Township in 2021.

Powell said between the two locations, about 400 pounds of wings are being served every week with customers who have come from as far as Illinois, Georgia and Canada.

His son was even approached in Jamaica recently, Powell said, recognized for working at the increasingly popular restaurant.

“It’s the No. 1 finger food. Wings are always there, no matter if you’re at a cocktail party or a house party. And good potatoes and French fries are always a crowd favorite -- whether you’re two years old all the way up to 90,” Powell said.

Powell and Rogers continue to build on the dream as they expand, ultimately hoping to have a space to serve Crazy Legs in arena spaces like Dow Diamond in Midland and Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.

Crazy Legs has two locations with its original locale at 4526 Beecher Road in Flint and the new express locale at 5417 S. Dort Highway in Grand Blanc Township.

The Flint location is open noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, while the Grand Blanc Township location is open from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

As for the reviews, Rogers was quick to note that one of their customers posted a comment raving about the food that read: “If you haven’t had Crazy Legs, you crazy!”

Those interested can place an order online here.

Read more on MLive.com:

New Crazy Legs location in Grand Blanc Township features crab legs, more chicken wing flavors

Flint-area restaurant cooks up collard greens, lamb chops and gumbo made with love

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New FIA exhibition highlights 49 Black Flint men, challenges perceptions

Here’s why new beacons of light are shining high above Flint’s skyline at night

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Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Flint vs. Detroit-style Coney dogs, this restaurant serves both

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Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Homemade sauces bring ‘unmatched’ flavor, heat to wings and seafood at Crazy Legs - MLive.com
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