Wing's & TT Murph's: Eastmoor Family Businesses
Matt Murphy, the owner of TT Murph’s on Livingston near James Rd. has called the 43209 home for his entire life. Growing up here, he says, was great. Matt jokes that he went to two high schools, St. Charles and Hartley, because “I knew I wanted to have a bar, and the more people you know, the better.” Though he started out in the family printing business, he knew his people skills were better suited elsewhere.
“My dad’s sister, Theresa Murphy, died at 36 of a heart attack. We called her TT. She was the cool aunt. When she passed in '85, the name TT Murph’s stuck in my head forever and in 1998, I made it happen,” Matt says.
Despite the 25-year history, TT Murph’s remains one of the best kept secrets, not only in Eastmoor but in Columbus. Matt wishes people knew that “Everyone’s going to be accepted. I want you to bring your kids in and your grandparents in. It’s very family-oriented. We try to make it easy, and if you don’t like your beer, I’ll get you another one. That’s why we’ve been here 25 years.”
Speaking of family, Matt is the proud husband of Jonell and father of his aunt’s namesake, Theresa, who’s going into 5th grade. His parents went to St. Catharine’s and lived in Eastmoor with his two siblings. “My brother is the oddball that didn’t move out of Bexley—he moved into Bexley on North Roosevelt. We’re a parade route family now!” His father, Jim, passed in 2011, but his mother, Barbara, is nearing 80 and still active. Among her favorite activities is frequenting Wing’s. Which brings us to a fun part about the TT Murph’s story: “I go to Wing’s all the time,” says Matt. “We were all born and raised at Wing’s. Kenny was a big part in helping me open my bar. I was doing night school and would swing by Wing’s and tell Kenny, I hate school and I need to open this bar. I have this notebook to this day—Kenny wrote in this notebook everything I needed to have behind the bar. Everything, from the pokers for olives to the cherries. He knew I was new to the game and wanted to help me. Kenny is a big part of my family. He catered my wedding. He’s Uncle Kenny.” Matt’s favorite things from Wing’s is “their spicy noodles and their red sweet and sour sauce.”
Matt gives back and likes to keep his impact local. “I’ve been a Charity Newsie for over 20 years." He was the main corporate sponsor for St. Catharine’s FunFest for many years, and says, “I like to invest in the FunFest knowing all the people who go to the Festival are those who come to Murph’s. My main focus is what I can do. It's not just about giving money.”
Recall the old lyrics from the theme song of the 1980s hit Cheers? “Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name. And they're always glad you came.” Nothing holds more true to those lyrics than when one steps inside Wing's restaurant and is greeted by the proprietor and his long-time staff. Kenny Yee, owner and operator of this east-side fixture, was born and raised in Eastmoor, attended Eastmoor High School, and after earned a degree in finance from the Ohio State University in 1983. Despite being raised as a first generation US citizen, Kenny and his siblings were taught Chinese first before English. This skill continues to serve Kenny well as he communicates daily with his Chinese chefs.
Upon graduating Ohio State, Kenny continued to work at the family business started by his father, Wing Yee in 1970. Previously known as the Far East when it opened in the early 1930s on Main Street in Bexley, it was where Kenny’s grandfather was a chef and his father a waiter thus gaining their skill set in the hospitality industry. Considered one of the oldest Chinese restaurants in Columbus, the Far East relocated to the spot in which Wing's currently resides until its closing in 1964.
Over the years, this business has employed other members of the Yee family including mother and his sister, Kim. Since Kim’s retirement approximately six years ago, Kenny is the last of his family members to work at Wings carrying on his family’s legacy.
The menu at Wing's still offers some long-time American Chinese favorites such as egg foo young to chop suey as well as spicy noodles and sichuan. Kenny’s favorite things on the menu happens to be both the egg foo young and the wor sue gai, a dish unique to Chinese eateries in Ohio with special ties to Wings. This wok fried chicken served on a bed of lettuce topped with a comforting gravy, chopped peanuts and scallions is believed to have originated right here in Columbus at Wings predecessor, the Far East. (Ding Ho, a west-side Chinese restaurant also lays claim to the origins of this dish). And while many Chinese restaurants sell mass produced egg rolls purchased from a food supplier, Wing's still makes theirs from scratch. (continued from page 08)
This difference can definitely be detected in their taste and it is one of the reasons why Wing's produces and sells upwards of 800 each week. Perhaps the most surprising thing about this long-standing east-side restaurant is the impressive scotch selection found behind the bar. Kenny has long loved scotch, specifically a Highland style single malt. Over the years his hobby and passion have slowly become integrated into the business. With over 400 bottles of scotch on the menu, Kenny works with some of the most respected authorities in the scotch business to ensure he has an extensive collection. Currently his rarest scotches are his very own. That's right! Kenny has 10 of his own barrels of scotch which appear on his menu.
One of the best things about running a restaurant according to Kenny has been,"Meeting so many different people." His years of restaurant experience have allowed Kenny to mentor others such as Matt Murphy of TT Murphs, a place where he frequents after hours. What's his favorite thing on the TT Murph's menu? That would be a “sub and an ice cold beer.”
Beyond mentoring Matt Murphy as he began his own entrepreneurial endevor, Kenny and the Wings restaurant have been able to find other ways to give back to the local community. From supporting local civic associations, donating in the past to the Taste of Bexley’s annual event, the St. Catharine parish, as well as the Columbus Zoo’s Zoofari event for 26 years, Kenny has found the most satisfaction in, "getting to know the people."
