Untold Tampa Bay: The story behind Wing Boys Deli
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Javier Rodriquez and his wife Angelica Torres celebrate Wing Boys Deli's grand opening on April 20. Photo courtesy of Wing Boys Deli
In the bustling food court of Citrus Park Town Center mall, the scent of chicken wings wafts from Wing Boys Deli, a new food stall that held its grand opening two weeks ago.
- To customers, the sizzle of meat hitting the hot grate is the sound of lunch. To Javier Rodriquez, the man behind the grill, it's the sound of a dream realized.
A sound that makes him remember how it all began.
He remembers fleeing Cuba with his mother and four siblings during the 1980 Mariel boatlift. The sight of their boat nearly toppling over while people rushed to one side, desperate for a glimpse of their new home.
He remembers settling in West Tampa, where he tasted his first chicken wing at 7 years old — a dish that would define his future.
He remembers his mother enlisting his help in the kitchen, dicing onions and garlic while his siblings played outside.
He remembers selling wings at a corner store when he turned 16 and the goosebumps he got when he saw a customer enjoy his cooking.
He remembers meeting a woman named Angelica Torres, cooking her dinner and watching for the smile on her face. Love at first bite.
He remembers the day he and Torres decided to launch Wing Boys Deli and how she tasted each of the 100-plus sauces he created.
He remembers his wing shop's humble start inside a gas station off Busch Boulevard in 2019, loading his Lincoln Navigator with frozen chicken each morning.
He remembers the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought his restaurant to the brink of closure just as it was starting to gain traction.
He remembers when the mayor's office stepped in and helped him secure a loan, providing the restaurant with the financial lifeline needed to make it to the mall.
And now, working away in the kitchen, he also dreams about the future. One where he can franchise his business to other Black and brown entrepreneurs "to help minorities, to help the forgotten ones, the people that can't get it."
The customers who approach the counter of Wing Boys Deli never witness the calloused hands that prepare their meals. They don't know that each chicken wing carries the weight of Rodriquez's story.
Or that with every order, his story continues.
Editor's note: This story is part of Axios' new feature, Untold Tampa Bay, which sets out to share a glimpse into the lives of the people who make up our diverse community and whose stories often go unheard.
- Have an idea of someone to highlight in the series? Email us at [email protected].