In 2012, Russell Gilbert - a Western New York native and recent ODU Graduate - had a vision. He and his wife Stephanie had moved to Hampton Roads from Buffalo in 2005 and had spent the last 7 years trying to find a local hangout where they could enjoy authentic chicken wings, watch Bills Games, and get to know their neighbors in a casual, friendly atmosphere - just like home. Unable to find what they were looking for, Russ decided to try his luck at opening his own restaurant, albeit a lot smaller than what he'd envisioned, because, as he quickly learned, opening a business can get a little pricey. Undeterred, Russ launched The Dirty Buffalo as a small quick-service spot with just a few tables, some 26-inch tv's and ridiculously late hours. That’s right, the original TDB was open until 4 am and Russ was there open to close daily… Enter Ryan. About 6 months after opening, Steph started getting annoyed that Russ was working 90 hours a week, so Russ called his best friend from preschool, Ryan Lynn, to see if he was interested in a career change. Ryan had spent a few years in Norfolk while in the Navy and decided to give restaurant operations a shot. So by mid-2012 there were 2 guys with zero restaurant experience “just winging it” at our OG location right down the street for ODU.
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