New Tenant Coming to Former Balzac

1716 N. Arlington Pl. Photo taken Nov. 13, 2023 by Sophie Bolich.

Larry Schaefer was a regular teenager—he hung out with friends, worked hard in school and loved chicken wings. But his taste for the game-day staple went further than downing a plate during the Super Bowl; it would eventually spark a successful restaurant chain.

“Me and my buddies, we loved chicken wings, and we always kind of messed around with recipes,” Schaefer said. “We would go to parties and bring wings, and we would always joke that one day one of us would open a place.”

Now, Schaefer and his adult children, Amber and Dane, are preparing to launch Legend Larry’s at 1716 N. Arlington Pl., the former site of Balzac Wine Bar. The upcoming location will be the fifth for the restaurant, which also operates in Sheboygan, Sheboygan Falls, Manitowoc and Green Bay.

The counter-service spot is expected to open in early 2026, offering both takeout and dine-in with a menu of chicken wings paired with 13 award-winning sauces such as Honey BBQ, Scary Larry and Sweet Thai Chili. Legend Larry’s also serves shrimp, sliders and salads, along with sides like broccoli cheddar bites, breaded pickles and jalapeno poppers.

The family has no plans for major renovations, preferring instead to retrofit the restaurant into the existing space and community. “This place fits into the Brady Street neighborhood, but it will also work well as a Legend Larry’s, so we’re really excited about that,” Dane said.

A Legend in the Making

Growing up with tavern-owning parents, Schaefer often dreamed of following in their footsteps. But raising his own young family took precedence. After years in trucking—and as Amber and Dane were preparing to leave the nest—a new opportunity emerged.

When his brother-in-law put a tavern up for sale, Schaefer, with his wife’s blessing, bought it. He combined his vision for a corner bar with his longtime love of wings to launch the first Legend Larry’s in 2001.

“It kind of took off from there,” Schaefer said, adding that the Sheboygan restaurant garnered immediate praise from both locals and visitors, though he wasn’t quick to believe them. “You feel like people tell you what you want to hear,” he said. “I always thought our wings were good, but how good?

Good enough to beat out big-name competition, it turns out.

In 2004, Legend Larry’s entered three recipes into the National Buffalo Wing Festival in New York and came home with two first-place awards. “Since then we’ve gone on to win more awards than anyone in the country,” Schaefer said. “That really helps—the credibility to believe in what you’re doing, believe in your product and grow your business.”

Legend Larry’s award-winning sauces are available at all of its restaurants and sold by the bottle at retailers including Piggly Wiggly, Woodman’s Markets and Festival Foods.

Schaefer continues to head the business but plans to eventually hand off operations to his children, who are already leading the charge in Milwaukee. “Amber and I are looking to take on a larger role in the company, so we’ve kind of made the push and will be the driving force behind this new restaurant,” Dane said.

“I think it will be a good fit,” Schaefer added, while also sharing gratitude for his supporters. “None of this would be possible without my family and the great employees that we have,” he said. “Every place we go, we believe in giving back and supporting the communities, because they’re a huge part of our success. It’s not about me; it’s about the people we put in place.”

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