Not-really-South-Park Hooters shuts down, blames bridge closure

Less than a year after its gala grand opening, the Hooters that described its location as South Park – though it was more like almost-Boulevard-Park – has closed, blaming the South Park Bridge shutdown. An e-mail tip from Bob sent us over this morning for a look; first we noted the casino doors had signs announcing gaming had been suspended more than two months ago, but then, we found what looks like a new note on the restaurant door: “”We Have Moved The Party … to Lake Union, Renton, Tacoma. Due to the economic stresses caused by the South Park Bridge Closure, we have been forced to close our doors. Thank you for all your business.” We have messages out to see if we can find out more; not sure exactly when the closure notice went up, but we have searched exhaustively and it does not appear to have been reported anywhere else. We did notice, while searching, that last month, the location became a side note to a bit of controversy involving a regular stunt-motorcycle promotion and a state trooper.

SeaChanty51 September 10, 2010 (9:04 am)

There were very few cars parked at Hooters before the bridge closure. They chose the wrong neighborhood, and are using the closure as a scapegoat!

MJ September 10, 2010 (9:11 am)

Dang it!!! No more all you can eat wings on Tuesdays :( Guess I’ll just have to wait for Wing Dome.

hopey September 10, 2010 (9:29 am)

Sounds like a convenient excuse to close a problematic and/or underperforming location.

bridge to somewhere September 10, 2010 (9:45 am)

SeaChanty and hopey are exactly right: that was a TERRIBLE location for that business. When I first drove by it late last year, I could not believe that they’d thought that would be a successful location for the business. It was very hidden, pretty hard to get to, and not by many other food service businesses. That location was doomed way before the South Park Bridge closed . . .

Shane September 10, 2010 (9:47 am)

I always thought that was a weird location. Maybe there was a good lunch and after work crowd, but it hardly seemed like the center of nightlife (of course, I get up at 5 and go to bed about 9 so I know nothing of nightlife)

OP September 10, 2010 (9:56 am)

Meh. Their closure had ZIP to do with the bridge closure. It was a lousy location from the get go.

Smitty September 10, 2010 (11:42 am)

I love hooters! :~)

CurlyQ September 10, 2010 (11:53 am)

I am thrilled to hear that the bridge closure has had at least one positive effect on the community (if, as noted above, that was really the cause). Good riddance, I say!

Diane September 10, 2010 (12:02 pm)

agree with CurlyQ

displacedcoastie September 10, 2010 (12:27 pm)

Curly and Diane, your just jealous because you couldn’t get hired there….I saw your applications.

rw September 10, 2010 (12:31 pm)

Dang. I didn’t even know there were so close. …. But then again, I checked out their food and “ambience” in San Diego a few years ago and was underwhelmed.

Baba September 10, 2010 (12:49 pm)

I’m shocked they didn’t blame W Bush and, you know, those 8 years of hell…

Diane September 10, 2010 (1:02 pm)

funny displacedcoastie; sadly true, more about age than boobs though now
~
I worked in restaurants for 20 yrs, where this was the usual required uniform for females in many fine dining restaurants; grateful those days are mostly gone; the first time I lived in Seattle, 1978, I worked as a waitress at Horatio’s on West Lake Union (now McCormick & Schmicks; sp?); it was typical expensive, themed fine dining, pirate ship in lobby; the guys wore pirate outfits; I had to dress as a wench; so damn ridiculous
~
and it’s not about being a prude; I like strip joints and exotic dancing (when women are treated well and not forced into prostitution); one of my funnest birthdays was celebrated at a fantastic strip club in the bay area

Julie Baker September 10, 2010 (1:55 pm)

Oh, but the wings were so good.. Wing Dome is taking forever to open and their sauce frankly is not as good…

westcoastdeb September 10, 2010 (2:27 pm)

I was wondering about wing dome. Any hint of when they will be open? It’s football season and my buffalo wing loving self cant wait!

WSB September 10, 2010 (9:36 pm)

To ‘westcoastdeb’ – I knew Hooters would make somebody think of Wing Dome. I had already sent a note before we even reported this, am checking back with them frequently … but didn’t get a reply by EOD.

dawsonct September 10, 2010 (2:56 pm)

Oh YEAH, like their main stream of traffic REALLY came over the SP Bridge.
–
I’m certain it wasn’t because they chose an out-of-the-way location, in a somewhat economically tenuous neighborhood, during the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression (for which the owners of Hooters must bear their share of culpability).

dawsonct September 10, 2010 (3:20 pm)

Baba, no one connected with Hooters would EVER try to link their under-performing restaurant chain and our under-performing economy, to the administration they worked so hard to support and elect.

doggril September 10, 2010 (5:04 pm)

I’m with dawsonct. I think “Hooters” and I immediately think “Republican”.

Doesn't like being objectified September 10, 2010 (5:10 pm)

Sad. A true loss to our community.

miws September 10, 2010 (5:53 pm)

Diane, too bad you didn’t end up at Rosellini’s Other Place restaurant back then. Not being a theme restaurant, the uniforms were more conservative/formal.

Plus, we would have worked together back then! :)

Mike

Kate K September 10, 2010 (6:04 pm)

There was a Hooters?

ikahana September 10, 2010 (7:49 pm)

Perhaps someone could try a “Peckers” with scantily clad young men wearing super tight shorts with a woodpecker’s beak prominently featured in front serving up platters of Hot Buns. I might go to that.

The idea of “Hooters” is kind of repulsive to me, so I’m not shedding a tear. If you want to see attractive naked people, go to a nude beach or strip club or adult bookstore. I have ZERO problem with that. If you want a Family Restaurant – have a Family Restaurant. But to make the theme of a Family Restaurant women’s BREASTS with cutified woodland creatures representin’, that is just twisted in a way that most of us outgrow by age 13.

Diane September 10, 2010 (11:38 pm)

I didn’t know about the wings because have never been to a Hooters; god, I don’t even like typing that word
~
Mike, where was Rosellini’s Other Place? during that same time I also worked at another very conservative/formal restaurant on WLU, Franco’s Hidden Harbor; so daily I would switch from my normal semi-hippy clothes, to “wench”, to frumpy 50’s A-line orangish dress
~
in the late 80’s, most restaurants converted to androgynous uniforms of black pants & white shirts w/ties, and continues now almost everywhere
~
great analogy ikahana; agree

WS Will September 11, 2010 (12:48 am)

I went there a few times and they were NEVER busy. The place was nice and the service was good. It’s a shame they had to close.

miws September 11, 2010 (3:56 am)

Diane, the Other Place was at 319 Union St, near the corner of 4th & Union, in the then Washington Building.

They took over the space, in 1974, from the long time Dublin House, which had been part of the family of restaurants run by Walter Clark.

I worked there as lunchtime busboy from September of ’77, until June of ’80. My final year there was fun, because instead of heliping with the restaurant set-up each morning as I had done the two years previous, I spent the morning part of my shift driving the company van between the three restaurants, (the OP, 410, and 610), and various vendors, including PFI, Pike Place Creamery, and a very young Starbucks (pre-Seattle coffee craze).

They stayed in that location until they lost their lease around the end of 1986, and the space was drastically renovated, and the building renamed for Puget Sound Bank. (Puget Sound Plaza) :-(

Sometime after that, (IIRC, there was a fair lapse in time), the OP re-opened at 98(?) Union St, at the south end of the Market, but couldn’t make a go of it.

I remember Franco’s too, although don’t remember if I ever ate there.

Mike

Gnarlene September 11, 2010 (8:17 am)

Well too bad for the Hooters girls but I’m sorry, what killed Hooters is their hideous Orange on Orange color scheme and their sub-par fare.

austin September 11, 2010 (9:41 am)

“But to make the theme of a Family Restaurant women’s BREASTS with cutified woodland creatures representin’, that is just twisted in a way that most of us outgrow by age 13.”
…
So the idea of Hooters is “repulsive” to you (and apparently something to be outgrown by the age of 13), but the same concept using “scantily clad young men wearing super tight shorts with a woodpecker’s beak prominently featured in front” to sell burgers is something you’d support?

CurlyQ September 11, 2010 (10:12 am)

Austin, it’s called irony.

Fritz September 11, 2010 (10:42 am)

Could it be the exploitation of young women and the crappy fried food has run it’s course? Let’s hope so…

Diane September 11, 2010 (10:48 am)

thanks Mike; I love local history

miws September 11, 2010 (1:02 pm)

You’re welcome, Diane! :D

I love local history too, and it’s fun to reminisce! :cool:

I’d like to think I’m not much of a boastful type person, but I love to show off my Seattle/West Seattle knowledge and memories!

Mike

Lolly September 12, 2010 (6:12 am)

Nooooooooooooo!!!!!

dawsonct September 12, 2010 (11:33 am)

Ikahana, DO IT!! Make a few millions and retire to someplace pleasant!

mystery women September 14, 2010 (12:22 am)

I use to work at that building when it was rascals. I can attest that the location is capiable of bringing in customers and is a great location. However i think lack of quality food, prices, managment, advertising, as well as the dwindling ecomony are to blame. Hope someone can bring back a great successful restaunt in the near future.

Sorry, comment time is over.