Hooters closures have removed the casual-dining chain from multiple U.S. states in recent months. MassLive reported in July 2026 that the brand shuttered its final Massachusetts location in June, and that outlets in New York, Connecticut and Minnesota have also closed. Company leaders separately discussed a Hooters movie and possible western expansion in April 2026.
What closed and where: Hooters closures across states
Below is a concise summary of the state-level exits as reported by MassLive (July 2026). These items are cited to the MassLive story and reflect the reporting in that article.
- Massachusetts: MassLive reports that Hooters closed all locations in the state, with the final store shuttering in June 2026 (MassLive, July 2026).
- New York: MassLive lists New York among states where the chain has exited; the story notes earlier New York City closures earlier in the year (MassLive, July 2026).
- Connecticut: The report includes Connecticut in the list of states affected by recent Hooters closures (MassLive, July 2026).
- Minnesota: MassLive also identifies Minnesota as a state where Hooters has pulled locations (MassLive, July 2026).
- Michigan: The reporting notes one Hooters store remains in Michigan; that detail is presented in the MassLive coverage (MassLive, July 2026).
State-level details and last-store notes
Massachusetts: According to the MassLive piece (July 2026), the chain’s final Massachusetts location closed in June 2026. The article frames the closure as the end of a once-broader local footprint.
New York: MassLive documents that New York City locations closed earlier in the year and that the state no longer hosts an operating Hooters site after the most recent exits (MassLive, July 2026).
Connecticut and Minnesota: MassLive groups these states with the broader regional pullback. The reporting does not list reopening plans for the affected addresses (MassLive, July 2026).
Michigan: The story notes a remaining Hooters store in Michigan. The MassLive report presents that as part of its survey of the chain’s current footprint (MassLive, July 2026).
The MassLive article that serves as the primary source for the state-by-state closures also includes editorial-contact details tied to the original coverage (MassLive, July 2026).
Company strategy and public comments
Company leaders told media in April 2026 that a Hooters movie is in development and that management is exploring growth in the western U.S. Those comments were presented as the company’s stated strategy by outlets covering the closures (company statements, April 2026; MassLive, July 2026).
These remarks should be read as company guidance rather than confirmed expansion plans. The company’s April 2026 statements link media efforts (the proposed film) with selective geographic focus in the West; execution, site economics and permitting will determine whether new restaurants follow.
Industry context: trends shaping closures
Several broader industry trends help explain why chains like Hooters may scale back in particular markets:
- Declining beer consumption: Long-term softening in beer volumes reduces a high-margin revenue stream for sports-bar–style concepts, pressuring profitability.
- Shift to to-go and hybrid sports-bar models: Consumers increasingly use takeout, delivery and hybrid venues that combine bar service with streaming sports and off-premises options.
- Restaurant industry headwinds: Rising costs, labor shortages and changing dining habits have pushed casual-dining chains to rationalize locations and focus on stronger-performing markets.
What to watch next
Key developments to monitor include any official company announcements about reopenings, concrete plans tied to the April 2026 movie comment, and whether Hooters follows through with western expansion. Local commercial real estate activity will also indicate whether former Hooters sites are repurposed or relisted.
Reporters and readers should treat the state-closure list as reported by MassLive (July 2026). Company-forward statements about a film and western growth are attributed to leadership comments in April 2026 and remain contingent on future action.
Source attribution
Primary reporting on the closures: MassLive, July 2026: https://www.masslive.com/news/2026/07/say-goodbye-major-restaurant-chain-abruptly-exits-4-states-after-closing-dozens-of-locations.html (cited for state closures and the June final-store note).
Additional coverage referenced: Fox News / OutKick reporting that originally covered the corporate comments and wider context. The OutKick story lists an editorial contact and a Perrysburg, Ohio mailing address in its source material.
Company statements about a Hooters movie and western growth are attributed to leadership comments reported in April 2026; those are cited as company statements rather than independently confirmed plans.
Author contact shown in the referenced reporting: joe.kinsey@outkick.com
Note: The original coverage also referenced unrelated viral local coverage, including video tied to the Payne Valley golf cart incident; that detail was included in the reporting to illustrate concurrent local viral attention around the same reporting cycle.
