HOOTERS chiefs are celebrating the opening of a new restaurant – just months after execs of the nostalgic restaurant chain filed for bankruptcy.
And, the new location is history making as it opened in a location that might be surprising at first glance.
Punters flocked to the new Hooters establishment in The Villages[/caption]
Waitresses holding a golden scissor[/caption]
The restaurant opened its doors in The Villages – which is renowned for its huge retirement community.
More than 80% of the residents that live in the area of Central Florida are over the age of 65.
Hooters opened its restaurant at the Lake Deaton Plaza on July 7.
And, a celebratory event was held to mark the opening of the sports bar.
There was a ribbon cutting ceremony and waitresses wearing the brand’s famous orange skirts were seen holding a golden scissor.
Hooters girls were seen standing by the doors of the restaurant holding orange balloons, per The Lake and Sumter Style Magazine.
Fans have welcomed the arrival of the Hooters restaurant.
“The place was absolutely packed,” Michael Paterno posted on Facebook.
“When I stopped by for some wings and could not get near the bar so i went to the takeout counter and got great service and took them home!!”
Others said they had a great experience after visiting the restaurant earlier this week.
But, news of the restaurant’s opening left some diners confused.
Some referred to the news that Hooters had filed for bankruptcy.
Hooters bosses filed for bankruptcy in March and it was reported revealed that 150 restaurants would be sold.
The U.S. Sun reported how a slew of Hooters stores were dramatically closed in June.
It’s estimated thirty restaurants were closed, including some in states such as Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Texas.
Michigan and South Carolina also didn’t escape the sweeping shutdowns.
It was a “difficult decision” to turn off the lights at the wave of company-owned locations, a Hooters spokesperson told The U.S. Sun.
But bosses appeared to show defiance in a bid to reassure diners.
Full list of Hooters store closures
The following Hooters locations have already closed:
Alabama
- Hooters, Huntsville, 4729 NW University
- Hooters, Birmingham, 1278 Oak Grove Rd
Florida
- Hooters, Gainesville, 3105 SW 34th St
- Hooters, Lakeland, 3437 South Florida Ave
- Hooters, Orange Park, 1740 Wells Road
- Hooters, West Palm Beach, 2020 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd
Kentucky
- Hooters, Louisville, 4948 Dixie Highway
- Hooters, Richmond, 241 Eastern Bypass
Georgia
- Hooters, Brunswick, 10355 Canal Crossing
- Hooters, Hiram, 5464 Wendy Bagwell Pkwy
- Hooters, Macon, 112 Riverside Parkway
- Hoots Wings by Hooters, Atlanta, 935 Memorial Drive NE, Suite 310
- Hooters, McDonough, 1858 Jonesboro Road
Illinois
- Hooters, Springfield, 3241 Horizon Drive
Indiana
- Hooters, Castleton, 6426 E. 82nd St
- Hooters, Clarksville, 941 Lewis & Clark Pkwy
Maryland
- Hooters, Baltimore, 301 Light St 1445
Missouri
- Hooters, Florissant, 2765 N. Highway 67
- Hooters, Independence, 19850 E. Valley View Pkwy
- Hooters, North Kansas City, 6411 Barry Rd
North Carolina
- Hooters, Greenville, 316 S.W. Greenville Blvd
- Hooters, Jacksonville, 463 Western Blvd
- Hooters, Charlotte, 123 W. Trade Street
Oklahoma
- Hooters, Oklahoma City, 13320 N Pennsylvania Ave
South Carolina
- Hooters, Columbia, 7711 Two Notch Road
Tennessee
- Hooters, Memphis, 7535 Winchester Road
Texas
- Hooters, Beaumont, 850 Interstate 10
- Hooters, Laredo, 5706 San Bernardo Avenue
- Hooters, Houston, 2519 Southwest Parkway
- Hooters, Baytown, 4710 I-10 East
- Hooters, Arlington, 5821 West I-20
- Hooters, Wichita Falls, 3701 Call Field Road
- Hooters, Lewisville, 1960 S. Stemmons
- Hooters, San Antonio, 849 E. Commerce St., Ste. 105
- Hooters, Bryan, 960 N. Earl Rudder Fwy
- Hooters, Lubbock, 4950 S. Loop 289
- Hooters, Galveston, 6028 Heards Lane
- Hooters, Waco, 3921 S. Jack Kultgen Freeway
- Hooters, Fort Worth Downtown, 150 Throckmorton, Suite 132
- Hooters, McAllen, 410 E. Expressway 83
- Hooters, San Angelo, 4384 Sherwood Way
- Hooters, Seabrook, 1818 NASA Road 1
- Hooters, Wichita Falls, 3701 Call Field Rd
Virginia
- Hooters, Manassas, 8503 Rixlew Drive
“Importantly, Hooters is here to stay, and by optimizing our business in support of our long-term goals, Hooters will be well-positioned to continue our iconic legacy under a pure franchise business model.
“We are committed to supporting our impacted team members throughout this process and are incredibly grateful to our valued customers for their loyalty and dedication to the Hooters brand.”
The chain filed for bankruptcy – more than 40 years after the company was founded in Clearwater, Florida.
Hooter’s is not the only chain that has filed for bankruptcy.
Bosses at TGI Friday’s filed for bankruptcy in 2024.
And in a bid to attract diners, chiefs radically shook up the brand’s menu,
Ray Blanchette, the brand’s CEO, revealed 85% of the menu had been “touched.”
Blanchette also revealed how the brand was getting back to its roots.
In an interview with CNN, he said steaks would be hand-cut, and chicken tenders would be coated by hand.
CP39BF Entrance sign to the housing developments at The Villages, Florida, USA.[/caption]
