Hooters Returns to Farmingdale

Orange short shorts are returning to Farmingdale. Hooters, a sports bar known for southern-style chicken wings and its scantily clad servers, is reopening. 

Eight months after the Smith St. location was closed and rebranded as Bud’s Ale House, Hooters will return to the same building and with more entertainment options, according to Colin P. Parker, Director of Operations for franchisee Hooters of New England/New York.

Strix Restaurant Group broke from the Hooters brand in October 2012, shuttering Islandia and East Meadow restaurants. Bud’s Ale House, which took over the Farmingdale location, closed in mid-February after a four-month run.

“These guys did a lot of things really well,” said Parker, who has rehired staff from all three former Long Island Hooters. “And they had some good people working for them.” 

The restaurant expects to have 60 front house staff/servers and 20 back house staff with three managers. Hooters is still hiring. 

The busy Route 110 corridor lacked a sports bar when Hooters debuted in November 2009. It sits across from Farmingdale State College and near the busy corporate offices that dot Melville.

While Plainview-based The Main Event and Buffalo Wild Wings have since expanded with locations in Farmingdale, Hooters of New England/New York still sees the area as lucrative. Pending final licenses, Parker expects a June 28 opening. 

Even though Edward McCabe, an attorney for Strix Restaurant Group, told Patch that’s Hooters’ southern-style wing didn’t play well in a region that identifies with Anchor Bar’s iconic Buffalo wing, Parker believes the brand is strong enough to hold its own.

“We operate in upstate New York and there’s a headwind when it comes to the Buffalo wing they expect,” Parker said. “We march forward and cook to our specs, what’s craveable and what people expect at Hooters and we do it well.” 

So what’s new about the Farmingdale Hooters? Pool tables, coin operated vending, top shelf TV screens and a revamped menu that includes all-you-eat wings, according to Parker. He also expects aggressive marketing and an enticing atmosphere to win over converts. 

And there’s more coming. Hooters of New England/New York was granted rights to the region and expects to reopen soon in Fresh Meadows, Queens. Parker foresees up to three more locations in the Long Island/Brooklyn/Queens area. Westbury is a possible target. 

There's an initial $75,000 franchise fee within a territory and then $15,000 for each additional location, according to Hooters, which has 452 restaurants on six continents. 

“We’re a 20-year operator,” Parker said. “We believe in the strength of the Hooters brand.”