Ion District announced that STUFF’d Wings (401 Richmond Avenue) will officially open to the public on Friday, April 29, in the space formerly occupied by a Shipley Do-Nuts. Representing the first brick-and-mortar iteration of Jarrod and Prisoria Rector’s wildly popular food truck by the same name, the 2,100-square-foot restaurant marks the first-ever restaurant concept to make its debut in the 16-acre area surrounding the Ion innovation and community hub.

Since its 2019 launch, STUFF’d Wings has attracted legions of diehard fans who can’t resist its simple-but delectable menu made up of bone-in chicken wings stuffed with dirty rice, seafood boudin, chicken boudin and/or mac and cheese. Soon after the Rectors began operating out of their truck at 6402 Tierwester Street, they have regularly churned out over a thousand wings daily covered in a proprietary spicy/sweet sauce, often accompanied by a side of classic fries. Dessert offerings include a now-famous stuffed strawberry banana pudding with variations that include Oreo banana pudding and chocolate chip banana pudding.

The concept’s new brick-and-mortar digs within the evolving Ion District will feature a number of new menu items, including a fresh batch of stuffings that will be introduced on theme nights as well as unique holiday offerings like broccoli cheese casserole. STUFF’d on Richmond will also serve up a new loaded side dish in the form of Cajun fries covered in melted cheese, sriracha, ranch, and fresh boudin dressing. On weekends, Stuff’d will put a unique twist on breakfast when it begins rolling out stuffed hash browns, maple bacon wings glazed with maple syrup, and a glaze funnel cake. Drink offerings will include a variety of beer, wine, and soda.

“The journey to a permanent STUFF’d location in the Ion District is one that has a lot of personal significance for Prisoria and myself; she is really the reason why STUFF’d exists and why we are standing here about to expand the food truck into a brick and mortar,” emphasized Jarrod Rector, Co-Owner of STUFF’d Wings. He added, “We are thrilled to be able to reach new audiences and to see old favorites returning to check out our new spot. I can’t wait for first-time guests to try our wings because I love seeing the look on each person’s face when they take that initial bite. Conversely, I am really excited for our regulars who have tried everything on the menu to be able to sink their teeth into the new items that we’ve been perfecting for some time now. It’s going to be like one big family reunion!”

The Rectors enlisted the talents of prolific interior designer Gin Braverman of Gin Design Group on the restaurant’s interior FF&A – industry parlance for furnishings, fixtures, and accessories – as well as creative guidance from local artists who were recruited to further enhance the space.

The launch of STUFF’d Wings comes on the heels of the recently-opened Common Bond On-the-Go at the Ion – which made its anticipated debut in late January – and it will soon be joined by Late August, a new concept by Top Chef finalist Chef Dawn Burrell in partnership with Lucille’s Chef Chris Williams; The Lymbar – a craft cocktail bar and neighborhood restaurant by restaurant royalty, Chef David Cordúa; and Second Draught – a high-energy taproom from the creators of neighborhood brewpub Baileson Brewing Company featuring a robust selection of pours from Houston’s 70+ craft breweries – each of which will take up space within The Ion.

“Jarrod and Prisoria represent everything that the District stands for as local entrepreneurs who are bringing their creative passion, ingenuity, and determination together to cultivate an innovative experience that will be celebrated by the entire community,” said Bryson Grover, Investment Manager for Direct Real Estate at Rice Management Company.

As a microcosm of the broader Ion District mission to serve as a 16-acre civic nexus that enhances the totality of Houston’s community in a multitude of ways, STUFF’d Wings encapsulates each of its five core tenets: creation, dedication, connection, production, and immersion. As a vibrant and walkable urban destination built around the establishment of a diverse network of entrepreneurs, the Ion District – via the leadership of Rice Management Company – is committed to fostering small businesses and giving them the tools they need to thrive. To that end, STUFF’d Wings adds to a growing professional ecosystem within the Ion and the Ion District, one in which companies of all sizes collaborate with, support, and encourage one another to achieve success in their various disciplines.

As part of the launch, STUFF’d will produce a very limited run of merchandise items in collaboration with local apparel designer Jaylin Noah (@damnitsjaylin). Merch items will include t-shirts, hoodies, and sweatpants. Once items are sold out, they will not be reproduced. STUFF’d Wings will be open from 11 am to 8 pm on Tuesday through Thursday; 11am to 10pm on Friday through Saturday; 11 am to 6 pm on Sunday; closed Mondays.

About Ion District The Ion District is an intentionally accessible, walkable and integrated urban community. It spans 12 city blocks (16 acres) in Houston’s Midtown, where people, ideas, and businesses thrive. Initiated by Rice University, the Ion District energizes a more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive future. At actively programmed events and spontaneous everyday moments, the Ion District invites residents, startups, corporate, academic, and civic leaders to unite, explore, and create opportunity together. For more information, visit https://iondistrict.com.

About Rice Management Company Rice Management Company (RMC) is responsible for the stewardship of Rice University’s endowment. The endowment plays a vital role for Rice. The distributions generated provide approximately 40% of the University’s operating revenues, which makes it the single largest revenue source to the operating budget. The RMC team brings decades of investment management expertise across diversified industries and financial specialties. Through disciplined research and due diligence, we assess and pursue investment strategies that are aligned with the long-term risk/reward profile of the endowment. For more information, please visit investments.rice.edu.

About STUFF’d Wings Created by Jarrod and Prisoria Rector, STUFF’d Wings are traditional chicken wings STUFF’d with Louisiana Boudin and other cuisines. The brand – which has gained popularity over the past three years – is built on faith, family and fun while giving the market something new and innovative. The STUFF’d Wings food truck can be found traveling around town and popping up at some of the top festivals and events in Houston. STUFF’d Wings will be opening its first retail location in Midtown and looks forward to customers traveling from all over the world making a visit to STUFF’d in the near future. For more information, please visit https://www.stuffdwings.com/.