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Hooters closes with plans to nest on east side

GM cites higher traffic across the isthmus

Kevin Murphy
Correspondent for The Capital Times  —  10/07/2008 8:18 pm

Hooters restaurant has closed its doors after 15 years on Madison's west side and plans to reopen next year on the city's east side, according to its general manager.

The national chain, which touts chicken wings and female sex appeal, wants a higher traffic location than its current setting tucked off the corner of Mineral Point Road and Grand Canyon Drive. 

Instead, Hooters is looking at a former Country Kitchen restaurant near East Towne Mall, said Mark Shoaff, general manager.

"The difference is 9,000 cars (a day) go by here, 200,000 cars go over there. It's just numbers. It's nothing personal against the west side of town, we just have to go where we we're going to succeed," said Shoaff.

On east side, Hooters would compete with Texas Roadhouse, Outback Steakhouse, Tumbleweed Southwest Grill and "lots of other restaurants," said Shoaff.

Hooters would be leaving behind other sports-themed eateries, including Quaker Steak and Lube and the Tilted Kilt.

Shoaff said that competition from Tilted Kilt, which also features statuesque and scantily clad waitresses, had no impact on Hooters' decision to relocate. Tilted Kilt opened on Gammon Road across from West Towne Mall earlier this year.

"Tilted Kilt has not hurt us, it's just the economy and everything else, and it's just down on this side of town. Our lease was up, and we're moving to another side of town," Shoaff said.

Calls to Tilted Kilt staff for comment on Hooters leaving the west side were not returned.

A tenant at the Clock Tower Center, where Hooters' lease expired Sunday, said the strip mall has added Joey's Seafood restaurant, Qdoba Mexican Grill, Rosati's Pizza, China Kitchen and most recently, Subway.

"Joey's Seafood has really brought in the people for the rest of the center," said Chris Roosli, owner of Madison Hobby Shop. "They're a family-oriented place, and people line up for their Friday fish fry, and they come by my place."

Roosli said he will miss Hooters as he ate there "three or four times a week," though he patronizes all the restaurants in the center. Roosli said Shoaff told him that Hooters wanted a stand-alone building and an outdoor eating area, something they were denied on Grand Canyon Drive by the city due to neighborhood opposition.

Qdoba assistant manager Chris Aguiniga said he didn't view Hooters as a competitor as each restaurant has its own customer niche, nor did he see the west side's economy softening for the dining industry.

"We're fast service, they're sit down, plus we do lots of catering. We're doing well with our loyalists, some who eat here every day, and there will be another Qdoba's opening on (East Washington Avenue) soon," Aguiniga said.

Shoaff said if Hooters can lease or acquire a suitable east side location, the restaurant will need to remodel, obtain city permits and a liquor license, which could take several months.

"We're looking to be open in April, sometime next spring," he said.

Questions about how the move to the east side will affect staffing were referred to Hooters corporate headquarters where messages left for comment weren't immediately returned.

Bruce Bosben of Apex Property Management, which operates the Clock Tower Center, said he will miss Hooters' rent check. To date his efforts to replace Hooters with another bar and grill have been stymied by Ald. Mark Clear, Bosben said.

"I learned just today that I don't have the support of the alderman for the liquor license because the neighborhood wasn't happy with Hooters there," Bosben said.

As politically incorrect as Hooters' image was, it wasn't a problem for the neighborhood, said Bosben, who now wonders what type of establishment will be profitable and be acceptable to the neighbors.

"We have several other (west side) shopping centers without businesses in them that aren't open late, and we've had a string of burglaries. Ironically, the only place where we've had no burglaries is the Clock Tower Court," Bosben said.

Clear said he didn't like the proposal presented by  Bosben's prospective tenants, as the venue would be too much bar and not enough restaurant.

"The emphasis was on alcohol as opposed to food. Something like 90-95 percent alcohol-to-food sale ratio, where Hooters was 65 percent food to 35 percent alcohol," Clear said. "Like or hate the concept, there never was a problem with Hooters -- late night in the parking lot or elsewhere on the premises. And that's the kind of peace I want to preserve there."

Kevin Murphy
Correspondent for The Capital Times  —  10/07/2008 8:18 pm