Hooters Closes in Burnsville, MN originally taken by Joey White
According to a reader report, Burnsville’s business area adjacent to the famed Heart of the City took another hit following the closure of Timberlodge Steakhouse when Hooters closed its doors this week as well.
A sign on the door reads simply, “Closed, thanks for your business!” and ends a history of Burnsville turmoil which ended up dividing the city. Back in 2004 Hooters received little love from three members of the Burnsville City Council: Kautz, Workman and Daly who were all vehemently against the restaurant due to how it portrayed women. While Kautz and Workman later went on to vote in favor of the restaurant, Daly continued to stick by her guns and was the lone dissenter in 2004 and went on to vote down a deck expansion in 2005 as well.
From an archived Thisweek article written in 2005:
Daly said Hooters exploits women, and said she’ll vote against the deck.
“I didn’t support their business model behind four doors,” she said. “I don’t support their business model out in the open.”
But Kautz, Workman and Daly weren’t the only ones upset about the Hooters, Greg Staffa, then a candidate for Burnsville Mayor, noted the Burnsville Hooters was a big discussion point during his campaign:
In the 2005 election one of the most asked questions I got was I pro or anti Hooters opening in Burnsville. I was asked that more then anything else. Something about cleavage that gets “some” Burnsville people up in arms.
Further highlighting the public’s disdain for the place, one reader commented back in the middle of 2009 that they wished Hooters would just die already. Well the vocal minority finally got their wish as Hooters has finally closed its doors for good this week.
What do you think of Hooters both in food and general opinion of the name, mission, treatment of women, etc? Do you have a problem with them being in operation? Do you think they were given a fair shake all those years ago? Do you think we’re going to see even more restaurant closures around Burnsville and the South Metro as the economic downturn continues? Whatever you have to say about Hooters in Burnsville closing go ahead and share your thoughts.
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October 27th, 2010 at 8:23 am
All I have to say is, YAY!
October 27th, 2010 at 8:32 am
I’ve only eaten at a Hooters a few times, and wasn’t overly impressed with the food.. Take it or leave it, I can find wings and beer pretty much anywhere these days.
If you feel it objectifies women, then don’t visit the place. Women who work there are aware of the atmosphere and environment, so if they don’t have a problem with it, that’s just fine and to each their own.
That’s about all there is to say.. quit your whining and go to Perkins if you are bothered by generally attractive women in somewhat revealing attire.
October 27th, 2010 at 8:35 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Caryn W. L. and Greg Staffa, Hoototoot. Hoototoot said: Hooters in Burnsville is Closed! | Bill Roehl: Hooters originally taken by Joey White According to a reader report… http://bit.ly/b0IwkR [...]
October 27th, 2010 at 8:37 am
I’ve never been to a hooters before. It sounds like an entirely embarrassing experience to me.
October 27th, 2010 at 8:56 am
We went to this location once a few years ago. The food, as with every Hooters, was below mediocre at best. But the argument than they objectify women and have them dress inappropriately is just garbage.
Listen, I’m sure that in 1983 when they opened the social norms for how women dressed while serving were thrown on their heads. I don’t have any idea being that I was 4 years old and not sitting in any bars. But now, if anything, they are overdressed compared to their counterparts elsewhere in the bar industry.
I was in Minneapolis (I call it Uptown but the Minneapolitans claim it’s not) and we went to several bars and found women working (and patrons) dressed much more “inappropriately” than Hooters ever has. In fact, when the bartenders at Lyndale Tap would have to crawl up onto the oddly shaped circular part at the end of the bar to serve us, their cleavage would hang out. They also weren’t wearing tacky as hell brown tights to cover their legs and their skirts were almost as short as the orange shorts worn by the Hooters girls.
I won’t even get started about the bartender at The Varsity last Thursday who would bend over to get bottles of beer from the floor level and have her “dress” ride so far up that the men ordering began requesting those (no doubt “top shelf beer” has been placed down low on purpose) instead of anything on tap.
I personally believe this is an argument based in early 1980s social norms and has carried through the last nearly 30 years into 2010 when those ideals just don’t hold true anymore.
October 27th, 2010 at 9:14 am
I’ve never been to a Hooters and can’t say I’m disappointed that it’s going away. I saw the Hooters episode of Undercover Boss and some of it was pretty despicable. Granted, the CEO tried to squash the mess, but I couldn’t help but wonder how often the degradation goes on in their restaurants.
Either way, a brand built around objectifying women doesn’t do much for me. Bill’s right, this happens elsewhere too, but in fairness, most other restaurants don’t build their entire brand around it.
October 27th, 2010 at 9:16 am
Hooters doesn’t exploit women, it exploits men.
I ate at a Hooters in Kansas City about 17 years ago. I have no recollection of the food but clearly it did not impress me. I won’t miss this one.
October 27th, 2010 at 9:27 am
Well, at least there’s the Mall of America location still.
October 27th, 2010 at 9:32 am
I agree with Lenny…it exploits men. Seriously, go to one…you’ll see what we mean. And yeah, the food is mediocre at best.
October 27th, 2010 at 9:32 am
I’ve eaten at the Mall of America location.. very average place to eat and the hooters things, not so much. I don’t care if one opens up in Burnsville or Apple Valley or anywhere else, they’re not the demon that they’re made out to be in my opinion.
They also aren’t very good so the fact that the market caused them to shut down is evidence to me that things are working the way they should.
October 27th, 2010 at 9:33 am
The bad food at Hooter’s is probably a testament to their business model. Market the sex and people won’t notice that the food is terrible.
I have noticed that when women comment that they are offended by places by Hooters, and use terms like “it exploits women” and such. Those women are usually not very attractive. I think they are more offended by the fact that nobody wants to look at them but they do want to look at good looking women than they are with Hooter’s marketing strategy.
October 27th, 2010 at 9:37 am
As a woman, I am certainly not a fan of this establishment. However, I am not their key demographic either. It is targeted towards men and the staff there know what they are in store for when they apply. So, frankly, whether they stay or go doesn’t affect me. However, it is always disappointing to see any business close.
Now… if my daughters were thinking about applying there for a job, I would be celebrating this moment!
October 27th, 2010 at 9:47 am
While I am probably one of those “not very attractive” women, I’m not offended by Hooters and I don’t think it exploits women. Like one of the other commenters said, if you’re a person who finds it offensive then don’t go. That being said, I’ve never been a Hooters patron; it was just never a place that I cared to try because the menu seemed so ordinary.
I don’t like to hear of ANY business closing. Being unemployed isn’t a pleasant experience and I don’t wish it on anyone.
October 27th, 2010 at 10:20 am
Had a burger with some friends at the MOA location. No better or worse than Applebees was my impression. I found the waitresses to be friendly, and maybe more so than normal because I was with a group of guys, as apposed to when I usually go to places with my wife.
Even if they had good food, I’m not sure I would have gone regularly. I feel like (and much of that will come from general impressions, their commercials, how they have been portrayed in the public) part of what Hooters was selling was manipulation. Creating an atmosphere that was geared towards manipulating customers to spend more money.
Yes, that is a rose colored glasses way of looking at it. As really any service oriented business should have some level of focus on creating an atmosphere that manipulates customers to spend money. I think the problem for me is that I can’t sit back and enjoy or be oblivious to the manipulation and Hooters was more blatant about it.
So that was my personal opinion. I don’t have any problem with them being in operation. I thought it was stupid for the city not to allow them to have a patio outside. My gut is that Hooters didn’t make their summer numbers so they pulled the plug with no real growth expected over the winter. I wouldn’t be surprised if more service businesses close up shop if they haven’t been able to build a following over the summer. The economy continues to stagnate for the majority of the working public and small businesses that rely on consumer spending to survive just won’t be able to.
October 27th, 2010 at 10:37 am
The outrage directed at Hooters reminds me very much of how Victorian England viewed sex: maybe it’s not the exploitation of women that’s the issue here, but the unapologetic attitude of both the name and the adults who choose to work there.
October 27th, 2010 at 10:51 am
Perhaps the following article on http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2010/02/utah-proposes-scrapping-12th-grade.html might explain why Hooters closed. Have never been there and have never had a desire to go. I love your site – especially on the Burnsville City Council.
Downtown Minneapolis Hooters Hasn’t Paid Rent For A Year
Party over for Hooters downtown?
The Hooters in downtown Minneapolis owes more than $350,000 in rent, utilities, taxes and penalties, and the landlords are taking the restaurant’s owners to court to force them to pay up.
Block E Realty claims Hooters’ owners, John and Steven Marso, haven’t paid the monthly base rent of $9,218 for their prime skyway location at N. 6th Street and Hennepin Avenue S. for nearly a year and a half.
The suit, filed in Hennepin County District Court on Jan. 21, said the restaurant also owes at least $105,000 in operating costs, $58,000 in taxes and $33,000 in utilities, phone lines and other services.
The Marso brothers operate the downtown Hooters and another one in Burnsville under the name Twin Wings of Minneapolis. The Burnsville restaurant is delinquent on $47,947 in property taxes for 2009, according to Dakota County records. The Hooters that Steven Marso owned in St. Cloud closed in January 2009.
October 27th, 2010 at 11:04 am
Yet, Chinese Gourmet continues to stay open on Aldrich despite never having any customers. Seriously, drive by, there’s never more than the same two cars in the parking lot except for the rare wedding reception dinner. My friends and I have always joked for years that the restaurant is a cover for a drug ring.
Hooters appeared busy to me even up until the night before it closed. I have a feeling the owners had money problems catch up to them because of the Block E location they weren’t paying rent on.
October 27th, 2010 at 11:36 am
we’ve never eaten at any of them, no comment.
bb
October 27th, 2010 at 1:24 pm
I can’t believe this is still an issue with Hooters. There are plenty of organizations that lure men in with blatantly attractive women and vise versa. (I’ve got several commercial furniture catalogs that easily support that statement.) If you took sex out of the equation I think half the marketing firms would be scratching their heads not knowing what else to use. Michele I think you’re right on with the “unapologetic attitude” thing.
I agree their food and prices are on par with Applebees, etc.. I’m sure they get similar treatment by the local city councils and residents everywhere. I would even guess that the [mostly] men that are lured in by the marketing usually make up for the [mostly] women that won’t go near it, and that their ability to stay in business is more affected by general economics.
October 27th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
Is that you Mr. Marcos?! If so their new marketing has certainly lured me in.
October 27th, 2010 at 1:31 pm
Yeah, the waiters at Hooter are objectified. That is the point of the place. But who cares? The women are adults and have made a choice to objectify themselves. Other adults can make a choice and not go there.
October 27th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
wow Bill – of all the smokin-hot things in the picture I figured you’d be more focused on the plate of wings
October 27th, 2010 at 1:41 pm
Hooters in a way is like a performing arts center in that you only need so many of them. The Burnsville Hooters is like the Burnsville Performing Arts Center in that it does not have enough customers. A major difference between the two is the Burnsville taxpayers are not spending over a million dollars a year keeping Hooters alive. Unlike the Burnsville Performing Arts Center, the folks in Burnsville (except for a vocal minority) did not advise the Hooters folks they did not have a long term need for a Hooters in Burnsville before they decided to open their business
The only time I was in the Burnsville Hooters was when I stopped to compliment the manager on the beautiful new American flag he way flying. Hooters did not always fly the flag, but when they did, theirs was big and beautiful. Even though I never served in a war, the military gave me a greater appreciation for this piece of art. This is what I will miss about Hooters.
October 27th, 2010 at 1:52 pm
They had almost $1.7 million in debt when they filed for Chapt 11 bankruptcy in March
http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2010/08/23/daily12.html
Since then they’ve filed for Chapt 7 liquidation.
I think Hooters objectifies owls.
October 27th, 2010 at 1:52 pm
“big and beautiful”
I can’t think of any phrase Hooters would rather have used to describe them. Way to work that in there Cliff. That was sneaky.
October 27th, 2010 at 2:59 pm
It couldn’t have been a profit problem because that place was always consistently busy for lunch and sports games.
Like I said earlier, how the fuck does Chinese Gourmet stay in business when nobody is ever visibily eating there?
October 27th, 2010 at 4:56 pm
I find it absolutely ridiculous the comments on here that would claim the soapbox of protesting any businesses objectifying women. I don’t see these same people going after all the designer clothing and advertising(especially television ads and billboards) that objectifies women in the first place. They market to adolescents with grown up fashions. I have yet to see a protest outside the malls or Target or Walmart over clothes they sell that objectify women.
Let’s set a standard dress code for all our citizens much like China and North Korea. If the get the government to enforce dress codes, then no one is objectified. How does that sound? The bottom line is if you have freedom in a society, then you have accept a lot of things you may not like or agree with.
I think the next target will be all the sportsbars, and college campus eateries that allow their waitstaff to dress in any kind of objective way. While they are at it, they should patrol all the walkways around the Minneapolis lakes in the summer too. The fashion police could even write tickets to people who don’t abide by their values.
If the young ladies who worked their didn’t mind the attire why should ANYONE else. What is happening to the freedom in this country? As long as no one is infringing on anyone else’s rights , whats the harm?
I think these fashion police should emigrate to China & North Korea as fast as possible. That would free up a lot of jobs, so you’d be helping the economy too. Have you fashion police or feminist hired any of the displaced workers by your actions? I think not . Just like other wackos in this country “Hooray for me and the hell with anyone who doesn’t agree with me!”
America, isn’t it great? Enjoy while you still can because the end of freedom is truly near ………
October 27th, 2010 at 5:17 pm
Delivery? Take out? Wealthy family with other businesses that subsidize the place?
I’m just as curious about the Chinese place next to Burnsville Bowl.
October 27th, 2010 at 5:30 pm
I don’t really care about hooters one way or the other. But I’ve never understood the “attractive women” part. I’ve only been in a couple, but never seen a worker I thought of as attractive.
Granted I’m a straight, happily married woman, but still, I can appreciate beauty and I’ve never seen it there.
October 27th, 2010 at 5:56 pm
@Rick, dramatic much?
Nobody here is in favor of dress codes or closing down the business over it. But some of us don’t care for it.
If you’re against lingerie (not sure why anyone would be, but for the sake of argument), you’re probably not going to protest Walmart or Target or Kohls even though they sell it. You’ll probably go after Victoria’s Secret since that’s all they sell and it’s what they make their living on.
People’s issue with Hooters is they’re not just objectifying women – and yes, that happens all around us – but they’re using that objectification as their primary branding. There’s a difference.
But hey, if you want to somehow find the end of freedom in all of this dialog, that’s your prerogative.
October 27th, 2010 at 6:26 pm
“I don’t see these same people going after all the designer clothing and advertising(especially television ads and billboards) that objectifies women in the first place.”
I am sure if Bill wrote a post about “heroin chic” or anorexic models, there would be some commenters on here talking about their objections to advertising as well.
I’m just sayin’.
Also does anyone else see the irony in Rick lambasting opinions opposite from his and then going on to state: “Just like other wackos in this country “Hooray for me and the hell with anyone who doesn’t agree with me!”
Pot, meet kettle.
October 27th, 2010 at 6:52 pm
The epitome of Burnsville Hooter’s “objectifying of women”…………. The car wash for charity events. Servers would be attired in skimpy bikinis washing cars for charitable donations……What was the charity?……..Who the hell Knows……Good riddance Hooters!!! Maybe the city will partner with CDA and purchase the land for section 8 housing…….. how sad. No city taxes there. Sorry Burnsville taxpayers, we get screwed both ways.
October 27th, 2010 at 6:55 pm
I’m with Bill on this one, there’s more “objectifying of women” going on in real life everyday. Have any of you seen the way teenage girls dress these days? Hooters outfits seem conservative by comparison
October 27th, 2010 at 7:02 pm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mnhotrods/1178893382/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/timophoto/1152015881/
No different than going down to Nicollet Commons Park and watching people frolick in the swimmin’ creek.
October 27th, 2010 at 7:14 pm
Thanks Bill…………… I needed that!!!!……Now where are the pics of the “frolickers”?????
October 27th, 2010 at 7:19 pm
I’m saving you from having to see the mayor frolicking in the creek–in her bikini.
October 27th, 2010 at 7:25 pm
You’re Wrong………………. I see her in my dreams every night…….. sorry about that…….. in my Nightmares!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 27th, 2010 at 7:45 pm
That makes three empty businesses in a row sitting on Aldrich. Jesus Christ
October 27th, 2010 at 9:45 pm
I’ve never been to one. Enough people have told me the food isn’t worth it, and the marketing isn’t going to get me in the door either. I don’t have any problem with them, though. I remember when people took offense when the one in Block E was going to open, and I kept wondering if the complainers were aware of what else was already in the area.
Regarding those Chinese restaurants, I’m guessing it’s a combination of very low operating costs (Western-style Chinese food is fairly cheap to make for the most part, and can be usually be done quickly and easily) along with a loyal takeout clientele. There could be other angles too, like MPSD mentioned.
As for American flags, well, there’s still Perkins, I guess.
October 27th, 2010 at 10:27 pm
Tim, regarding Perkins…….. the flag hasn’t changed BUT the food certainly has…….. for the worse. Talk about sodium levels……. my hands were swollen twice their original size after eating the pot roast special.
October 27th, 2010 at 10:53 pm
I live near the Chinese Gourmet and I never see ANYONE there, I’ll see random stragglers walking over from the motels occasionally. But all the cars that are ever in the lot are the two owner’s cars.
October 27th, 2010 at 10:54 pm
Let’s not forget ‘House of Wu’ on Highway 13 that looks like it’s about 50 years old with very few cars ever parked there
October 28th, 2010 at 12:36 am
Actually, Will, what the city DOES get with Section 8 are low-income wage earners to work in the chains and small businesses. They can’t afford to live in Burnsville otherwise, and the small businesses can’t afford to pay them more.
When my husband comes in from work, I have gotten into the habit of filling him in on the latest Bill-blog. “Where’s Hooter’s in Burnsville?” he asked.
“Ah, good answer,” I said. : )
October 28th, 2010 at 7:51 am
[...] beers by Capital Brewing of Madison (here’s our review of their Supper Club beer), and the Hooters of Burnsville has piped its final solemn hoot. » Zagat’s Ten Favorites and Morning Roundup » Print Version // [...]
October 28th, 2010 at 10:44 am
Michelle’s post got me wondering about Section 8 and income limits and I found some interesting information.
Dakota County Median Income (used for the calculations, thus based on older data) $84,000.
Section 8 limits are based on 3 measures. Extremely Low Income – Very Low Income – and Low Income.
Individual Income Limits for those three, in Dakota County are: $17,650 – $29,400 – $45,100.
A family of 4 Income Limits for those three in Dakota County are: $25,200 – $42,00 – $64,400.
Note that means in Dakota County, you are considered low income, if your income is $64,400 and a family of 4. In Goodhue County, the limit is $55,500. St. Louis County $48,000.
A person working full time earning Minimum wage will earn around $12,800 a year. Oh, and in Dakota County, Fair Market Rent for a 3 bedroom unit is $1177/month.
I mention this all because I found it interesting. Interesting from the perspective of my income today and the past, as well as my children and parents.
October 28th, 2010 at 10:54 am
Yeah, just this week my wife showed me a pamphlet that had income limits for WIC recipients. The numbers were similar. I think for a family of 5 (which would be us if my wife were pregnant) the income limit is $70,000. That seems crazy to me.
October 28th, 2010 at 12:34 pm
I’m so tired of people hating Hooters & saying they “objectify” women. How so? As a former Hooters girl, years ago and in another state I never, ever felt demeaned, objectified or even uncomfortable. I wore a tank top, orange shorts, and nylons. What’s the problem? Have you ever been to an Abercrombie & Fitch or Hollister store? The denim shorts they sell there are FAR shorter than Hooters shorts? Have ypu ever been to a bar or nightclub? Again, FAR less clothing! I’ve seen more clevage at Cub Foods, Target, and even on my local news anchors than Hooters. Come on people!
October 28th, 2010 at 12:47 pm
Yep, and I don’t shop at Abercrombie or Hollister either. Same reason.
October 28th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
Well you better never watch TV, open a magazine, see a billboard or….go to a beach or gym YIKES ever again. You’re right thighs are super offensive…..
October 28th, 2010 at 1:03 pm
And if I didn’t would it offend you?
There’s a huge difference in saying, “I don’t personally find that tasteful,” and, “They should be shut down.”
October 28th, 2010 at 1:21 pm
No, and why would it? Half of this message board is of people saying Hooters objectifies women, then say in the same sentence they’ve never been to one! My frustration lies with the people who are excited or say “hooray” that this location is closed when it has no effect on them whatsoever.
October 28th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
Well, when your brand is built around boobs, I have trouble seeing how that isn’t objectifying women.
This looks a lot like objectifying women too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIg4j43Lqaw.
I know, one example doesn’t mean that’s how it is for everyone, but it doesn’t help either.
And to say it doesn’t affect others is a bit disingenuous. The neighbors are affected by the noise or the fact that their kids are exposed to the scantily-clad women during their car washes. Everybody has their own moral values and for you and many others that may be appropriate behavior.
For someone who doesn’t want their neighborhood to be reflected in the Hooters brand though, this is a win, like it or not. For some people, the limit for “not in my neighborhood” is a strip club. For others, it’s Hooters.
October 28th, 2010 at 2:17 pm
Men tend to objectify women. Women to a lesser extend tend to objectify men. It seems the business of Men objectifying women seems to have more potential for making money. Though I don’t believe that is necessarily true anymore, and is more a result of marketing/advertising people still stuck in the past. The failure of Hooters in general, at least in this market is an indicator of this failed philosophy. It might have made sense with men CLEARLY made more money than women. But that isn’t true any longer.
Things are changing, and yes, one of those things is young, American women who are much more comfortable with themselves lending them a confidence that hasn’t necessarily been common in the past. I’m sure the sociology of the whole change going on in our society is pretty interesting. I don’t have a daughter, but I still think it is important that women are given the same opportunities and protections that anyone else would get. That hasn’t always been the case in America. It has gotten a lot better. Much of what is left will simply take time. Time for the old generations of Americans that just don’t get it to fade away.
October 28th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Crappy food at Hooters, based on their losses i would think the demographic they chase , young men in the 17-30 age group, and the few odd older oglers , is feeling the recession which is pretty logical. Expendable income has to be rationed… better to buy a 6 pack and a cheap delivered pizza…
I think Hooters is an 80′s-90′s concept in any case, regardless of how you feel about it politically I dont think it really works as a brand outside of the Mason Dixon line too much anymore. The clientele is at Buffalo Wild Wings now.
But i am glad Jeff brought up the Chinese Gourmet, i have lived here for 23 years and used to drive Parkway from work every day for 18 years and the lot is almost always empty, like him we always joked it has to be a drug money laundering deal, the owners cars parked in the lot near parkway have been hummers and expensive German cars which seemed to be a dead giveaway. Or maybe it is sting operation run by some constabulatory.
As to the one near the bowling alley, that is different, that was a family owned take out chow mein place , probably built in the late 60′s or early 70′s , and possibly connected to other family owned places in Minneapolis or Bloomington. I know a guy who went to Columbia undergrad and Yale Law School and his family owned 2 of these places, his parents paid for his education and he worked in the place as a teenager and a student too. Family worked the place, overhead was low and the property is paid for. They probably do a low volume of take out biz … but its just waiting to be sold when the property price is right. Meantime no doubt it serves as a good way to offset expenses against tax liabilities.
October 28th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
I think the closing of this location has little to do with what restaurant it is and more to do with the poor management of the business. Hooters restaurants in general are thriving now more than ever (they did a segment on it on Nightline not too long ago along with WingHouse and The Tilted Kilt, same concepts)
As far as the bikini car washes, I can’t disagree with you on that one Joey. However, this is the only Hooters I’ve ever heard of doing such a thing. As far as the Undercover Boss clip…..c’mon, that’s a television show. I worked at a Hooters longer than I care to admit and that just doesn’t go on there. It was done for ratings and I wouldn’t be surprised if that man was an actor.
October 28th, 2010 at 3:04 pm
If you’re worried about kids being affected by scantily clad women during the occasional car wash, you must be going nuts about prime time television. Plenty of skin there, not to mention violence, swearing, sexual content, etc. I’ve heard discussions about blowjobs, erections, boob jobs, and so forth on TV, and that’s just on the networks.
Sure, you can turn your TV off but what about when your kids are at their friends house? I just don’t see the occasional car wash with bouncing boobies as something to get worked up about, not when there are so many more parental concerns out there.
And noise…do you really think there’s any more noise there than at any other less-endowed establishment? Boobs are fairly quiet, at least the ones I’ve been “exposed” to.
You can’t avoid exposing your kids to every thing you don’t approve of. Sometimes you just have to make it a teachable moment. For instance, this past summer my 12 year old son got a lesson in sexual commerce when we walked by a hooker after leaving a Twins game.
October 28th, 2010 at 3:09 pm
Well said, Lenny :)
October 28th, 2010 at 3:58 pm
mulch, i suspect the story for the chinese gourmet isn’t that much different than the place by the bowl. i know it is a family owned business and has been there for well over 20 years. perhaps the place is paid off and they do enough takeout business to turn a profit?
October 28th, 2010 at 5:23 pm
I don’t think my kid would be adversely affected by a Hooters being next door, but some parents would, like it or not. (And Karyn, on that Undercover Boss clip, the guy was reassigned to a different position and then left Hooters…the other restaurants they profiled in that show certainly didn’t reflect that.)
And no, Lenny, I don’t watch TV either, but it has little to do with what my 8-month-old kids are exposed to and more to do with the fact that prime time TV offers a pretty awful product and is being replaced by better products like Netflix, Hulu, etc.
The point isn’t that Hooters should go so our kids are protected. The point is for a lot of people, it’s distasteful to have it in their backyard. You had a chance to educate your kid on prostitution on the way back to your car from a Twins game and didn’t send the kid running for cover, but that doesn’t mean you think it’s a good thing that she’s doing what she’s doing.
October 28th, 2010 at 5:32 pm
jf, you are probably right, it is a different thing though, the “chow mein” joints like the one near Burnsville bowl, and several dating back to the 1950′s in Minneapolis and ST Paul, were meant to be mostly take out joints…they are small with only a few tables inside. the Chinese Gourmet is a decentl sized restaurant building, and advertises and coupons alot. Most of those old mom and pop chow mein places are really not at all like that.
in any case the bottom line probably is low overhead, and high takeout biz.
October 28th, 2010 at 5:37 pm
re hooters:
http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/company-news/hardship-at-hooters-family-feud-drives-ceo-to-seek-investment-p/19354583/
i dont know about the individual management issues, but this type of article could lead some to surmise that underperforming assets might be disposed of in the situation noted. Not paying taxes is odd though… if Hooters is truly flush why wouldnt they be paying their taxes?
October 28th, 2010 at 5:39 pm
Just because the chain as a whole is doing well doesn’t mean that the local franchisee is. With BW3 destroying the local market with their crappy Applebee’s For Wings stores (I really do miss their real restaurants which weren’t cookie cutter) it would definitely be hard for Hooters to compete especially in an area like it was located in Burnsville.
October 28th, 2010 at 7:43 pm
um…..who the hell cares?
October 28th, 2010 at 9:42 pm
Karyn, I have a guilty confession: I ADORE romance books. LOVE ‘em. Life is too grim NOT to have a happy ending in my books, which is why I read ‘em.
And the covers have changed, from the old bodice rippers, to the young stud bearing his chest (“Where’s his shirt?” I often wonder.) I will admit to the occasional sigh, because I am heterosexual and alive.
Here’s my point: Nobody ever complains that the male models for those covers are being exploited. We all assume that because they are MEN, they know what they are doing and can make their own choices.
Do I really need to carry this thought out to the conclusion? : )
Mikeh, thanks for the numbers. I’ve known some people on Section 8, and they are working at minimum wage. Granted, I imagine waitresses make more with the tips. But I have a friend on Section 8 in Mpls who is very proud to have been taken on by Walmart for a full time position from her Christmas job. She couldn’t survive without help. And Walmart couldn’t survive without her, IMO : )
October 29th, 2010 at 1:09 pm
FWIW, at least one of the the bikini car wash’s that happened at Hooter’s benefitted breast cancer research.
October 29th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
The King of Diamonds strip club (where ever it is) has a couple annual car wash / car show events benefiting various charities. I saw some fliers for it at a local custom car shop in 2009 when I was having a guy do some work for me. He brings his car there as do a few of his customers. All sorts of folks raise money for charity. If I recall, we had a politician giving money back he/she got from various folks. I think Larry Flynt (dead now) was regularly given his money back.
I saw the Hooters version of the hidden boss thing. The hooters manager that got in trouble was the type of guy that should have never had the job in the first place. He probably enjoyed watching insects and small animals die when he was a kid. He was abusing those women, if not physically, certainly psychologically. The sad thing was the women didn’t seem to be aware of it. They seemed to instinctively know it was wrong, but they didn’t really seem to recognize how wrong. Imagine how bad it really was considering that manager pulled those stunts with the cameras rolling.
In general, I think that hiding the world from your children, regardless of age is the wrong way to do it. But in this country, I don’t get to decide how other people raise their kids. The biggest issue I have with people that try to get places shut down is that they are not honest about the reason, or they are so dense that they can not understand why anyone might think opposite of them.
October 29th, 2010 at 3:24 pm
Not much to add that has not been said. I really like Hooters wings, however the one in Burnsville was horrible. The place was usually dirty and the service was slow. The servers were nice, but overall it was just not a great place to eat. That is based on about 5 total visits over the course of several years, so draw your own conclusions.
As for the angle about taking advantage of women and/or local decency standards, I think its way off base. There are girls in swimsuits doing carwashes over at Cliff and Cedar all summer long as fund raisers for local HIGH SCHOOL sports teams and clubs. You can watch prime time TV without seeing simulated sex, hearing Bitch, Ass, etc.
A joke from a TV show last night (I think “The Office” but not sure, I was flipping channesl, with my 3 year old) – “Why don’t witches wear underwear? They have to grip the broomstick.”
Seriously………………..
October 29th, 2010 at 5:28 pm
Just for the record, I’m all for girls in skimpy swimsuits washing my car.
(To be honest, I don’t care who/what washes my car…the point is my car got washed and I didn’t have to do it)
October 29th, 2010 at 5:42 pm
Chad, that joke WAS on The Office last night – we really did a double-take when we heard it. Wow.
October 29th, 2010 at 7:54 pm
i didnt know that Hooters were franchise operations, sorry, i thought they were corporate locations… that does definitely change the management issue.
I am not morally opposed to their business, for heavens sakes sex is constantly used in advertising of all major companies, … I ate at Hooters maybe 3 or 4 times in Bville and in Fargo, i just wasnt impressed with the food, none of it. Havent been to one in at least 8 or 10 years.
October 29th, 2010 at 8:25 pm
http://www.primetimeburnsville.com/
October 30th, 2010 at 12:27 pm
I agree with previous commenters that if you have to use sex to sell food and booze, you’re already working from a bad business model. Hooters (and “gentlemen’s clubs” – now there’s a non sequitur) don’t necessarily take advantage of women. They absolutely do prey on men. They understand that the male of our species is genetically predisposed to think with the brain in their pants, especially when it is lubricated with the aforementioned booze. In a place like Hooters, they are welcomed and expected to ogle, leer, drool, stare, babble, and hoot – unlike other settings where such lewdness is outre. It’s a pity that men can be so manipulated by a relatively small organ and their hormones, but that is the sad story of humans.
October 30th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
“It’s a pity that men can be so manipulated by a relatively small organ and their hormones, but that is the sad story of humans.”
Bunnie, Bunnie, Bunnie… don’t be spilling all the secrets of the sisterhood! See, we want them to continue to think that we don’t know that they think that they are manipulating us, when in fact, we know that they don’t know what we know: that what they think they know is, in fact, wrong.
October 30th, 2010 at 7:58 pm
What she said.
October 30th, 2010 at 8:16 pm
Primetime in Burnsville now has bikini contests on Wednesday nights.
For the LL reading men needing to still ogle, leer, drool, stare, babble or hoot, Primetime has filled the gap left by Hooters closing.
http://www.primetimeburnsville.com/
First Place $150, Second $100 and third $50!
October 30th, 2010 at 8:37 pm
I didn’t even know there was a Hooter’s in Burnsville.
I have to admit I am not unhappy that it failed.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:10 pm
Those statements are as offensive, naiive, and sexist as any characteristic of Hooters.
October 31st, 2010 at 7:59 pm
“Primetime in Burnsville now has bikini contests on Wednesday nights”
Thought Leader, are you thinking of entering? Or maybe you, Bill?
October 31st, 2010 at 8:00 pm
Why not? I’m proud of my bitch tits.
October 31st, 2010 at 9:16 pm
I think they’re called moobs.
October 31st, 2010 at 11:56 pm
Hooters preys on men more than it preys on women – by taking money for a poor product. Theres a sucker born every minute I guess. I did my part by not ever eating there…
November 14th, 2010 at 2:40 am
Do you remember the $1.25 million in freebees the City of Burnsville gave the new joint next to the puddle park to get them to locate there? It was free land and the City waived the normal parking requirements for the owner and the taxpayers provided the parking.
Could this have caused the demise of Hooters? Are those belly-dancers showing more than the Hooter’s girls.
Do you know if those belly-dancers do charity car washes?
December 31st, 2010 at 11:13 am
[...] Hooters in Burnsville is Closed! [...]