Greenfield's Hooters Closing Soon?

As several Hooters restaurants close around the country, there is speculation that Greenfield's is next on the list.

City officials, business owners and others have heard the restaurant, , located at one of the highest-traffic intersections in the county, is closing this summer.

Some fans have even commented on the closing on the restaurant's Facebook page.

"I’ve heard unconfirmed rumors that the Alan Kulwicki Hooters may be leaving or closing in the future and I certainly hope that isn’t true," Greenfield Mayor Michael Neitzke said. "There’s historical significance to that restaurant."

Calls made to the restaurant's managers were directed toward Hooters' corporate office. Emails and calls left with the media relations department have gone unanswered.

The popular Hooters chain known as much for its chicken wings as it is for its scantily clad waitresses, opened in Greenfield in 1997. The restaurant's initial use was for Mr. Steak Restaurant from 1975 through the mid-1980s, when it became Thomas Family Restaurant.

Hooters gained popularity in the 1990s thanks largely to the attractive waitresses wearing tight tanktops and short orange shorts who brought sports fans and other patrons their food. But Hooters restaurants across the country have been closing since late last year, from central Ohio, to Montgomery, Ala., to Seattle.

Many of the closings have been related to licensing disagreements.

Greenfield's Hooters has special ties to the community because of the late NASCAR superstar Alan Kulwicki, who was from Greenfield and was sponsored by Hooters for much of his career.

Kulwicki was killed at age 38 when the Hooters corporate jet he was a passenger on crashed near Bristol, Tenn. on April 1, 1993.

The Hooters monument-style sign on Layton Avenue has a large "AK" inscribed near the base.

There are seven Hooters locations in Wisconsin in Appleton, Brookfield, Green Bay, Greenfield, Janesville, La Crosse and Madison.

The Greenfield restaurant has approximately 50 employees.