Famed Hooters location a mile from Augusta National has closed
It’s the end of an era for Augusta sports fans.
The famed Hooters restaurant on Washington Road about a mile from Augusta National Golf Club has closed, the restaurant chain confirmed in a statement.
It’s the latest Georgia location to shutter following the Atlanta-based company’s filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year.
The Augusta location was made famous by pro golfer John Daly, who had been carrying on a 28-year tradition of setting up camp outside the Washington Road Hooters and selling merchandise from an RV during Masters Week, even when he wasn’t playing.
The event has attracted plenty of shenanigans, far removed from the strict rules imposed on the Masters’ grounds.
“After many years of irreverent fun, our Augusta location closed on July 23, as expected, following the end of our lease,” noted a prepared statement Hooters shared with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We thank our loyal customers for all of the amazing memories we made in Augusta over the years, and we hope to see them at another one of our locations in the near future.”
Hooters of America, the restaurant chain known for its chicken wings and “Hooters Girls” waitstaff, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy with plans to sell restaurants to two longtime franchisees and “remain open.”
Under Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the company can downscale its operations, which allows it to get out of leases and other contracts.
The Hooters of Cumberland in Cobb County has closed, along with Hooters locations in Duluth, Douglasville, Valdosta and on Peachtree Street, which shuttered in early June after 22 years of operation.
Ten Hooters locations remain open in Georgia.
By the end of the restructuring period, which the news release said would take between 90 to 120 days, all Hooters locations will be under franchisee ownership.
Hooters said in a May news release that it was extending its partnership with Daly for two more years. Daly will promote Hooters with “various marketing activities, including social media and other digital channels, in-restaurant appearances and even inspiring seasonal selections on the food and beverage menu.”
Daly did not immediately reply to the AJC’s request for more information on what next year’s Masters will bring.
About the Author
Olivia Wakim is a digital content producer on the food and dining team. She joined the AJC as an intern in 2023 after graduating from the University of Georgia with a journalism degree. While in school, she reported for The Red & Black, Grady Newsource and the Marietta Daily Journal.
