Tuscaloosa’s Hooters Permanently Closed, One of Dozens Nationwide

The Tuscaloosa Hooters restaurant was one of many across the United States that permanently closed on Wednesday.

The wings restaurant known around the world for the attire of its waitresses closed about two dozen locations identified so far, including the Tuscaloosa store on Oscar Baxter Drive off Skyland Boulevard.

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A sign taped to the door and posts on social media direct customers other locations still open in Alabama, including those in Trussville, Pelham and Prattville.

Jewel Jenkins, the general manager of the store, said on Facebook that the store was closed as of Wednesday morning.

She thanked customers for their love and support and shared a picture of the flyer highlighting other Hooters locations.

The closures follow the bankruptcy earlier this year of Hooters of America, LLC, which operated more than 400 restaurants across the country and globe.

The closure comes as other restaurants, both locally owned and corporate chains, struggle in Tuscaloosa and elsewhere to navigate post-COVID economics. The city's Red Lobster closed last summer alongside hundreds of others after that brand also fell into bankruptcy.

Even so, growth is also happening across the Tuscaloosa area and even nearby on Skyland Boulevard, a new 7 Brew coffee stand is set to open within the week - more on that in a separate report soon.

For more coverage of restaurant and retail development in west Alabama, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.