Celebrating
25 Years
T wenty-fifth anniversaries are traditionally
major events, whether in the span of a
marriage or in the lifetime of a business. It’s
executive; Dennis Johnson, a brick mason by trade;
and Ken Wimmer, a partner in the painting business
with L.D.
a time for sentimentality, a time for look-
ing back and pointing to the events - good and After hiring Lynne Austin to be the first HOOTERS
bad - which have brought you to this point. Girl, Droste donned a chicken suit and started
And there are going to be some bad moments. ushering patrons into the new era of food. By late ‘84,
On the whole, however, things are usually looking HOOTERS was dealing with two-hour waits to get
pretty good, so it’s a time for a celebration. And, in the door. So the HOOTERS Six met and struck a
let’s face it, when HOOTERS throws a party, it’s a deal with a likable nut, Hugh Connerty, who wanted
blast. to take the restaurant worldwide. When an injection
of capital was necessary to stimulate future growth,
So, welcome to HOOTERS 25th Anniversary Connerty turned to a Texan named Jim Ham-
celebration. A jubilee, as it were, with silver mond, then Robert Brooks, founder and owner of a
cymbals crashing, confetti flying and HOOTERS company in Atlanta called Eastern Foods that
Girls leading the band. supplied food products to restaurants and grocery
outlets. A few years later, Brooks would take over
Appropriately enough for an establishment like from Connerty and build the company to what it is
this, HOOTERS was incorporated on April Fools today.
Day 1983 and opened its first restaurant the follow-
ing October in Clearwater, FL run by six business- We’ve compiled a brief historical timeline of the
men who obviously had too much time on their past 25 years, a walk down memory lane with a
hands. The now famous “HOOTERS Six” were: L.D. brief stop at some of the highlights we think are the
Stewart, a painting contractor; Gil DiGiannanto- most interesting. We hope you’re looking forward to
nio, a liquor salesman; “Uncle Billy” Ranieri, a re- the next 25 years as much as we are.
tired service station owner; Ed Droste, a real estate
The Origin of HOOTERS The First HOOTERS Girl, Lynne Austin
HOOTERS was One fine day in sunny Florida, one of
appropriately the HOOTERS Six anchored his boat off
incorporated on April Clearwater Beach to watch the Jose
Fool’s Day, 1983, when Cuervo bikini contest. Droste bet the
six businessmen gang on the boat that he could entice
( The now famous the winner of the contest to become
”HOOTERS Six”), with the first HOOTERS Girl. He then bravely
no previous restaurant paddled into shore.
experience, got together
and decided to open a After failing to convince the subsequent
place they couldn’t get winner (Lynne Austin) to join the troop
kicked out of. right then and there, Droste handed
l to r: Ed Droste, Gill DiGiannatonio, L.D. Stewart, Denny From their fertile Lynne a business card and told her that
Johnson, Bill Ranieri. (Not pictured, Ken Wimmer) imaginations came if her job as a GTE telephone operator
the concept of HOOTERS. The restaurant would combine their didn’t work out, she should call them.
favorite manly finger foods with the 50s and 60s music they felt best Weeks later, Lynne tried to get off work
exemplified a happy, nostalgic time in most Americans’ memories. It at GTE to attend yet another bikini
combined nicely with the most important element, the beautiful and contest. She quit the job when they
vivacious HOOTERS Girls. The name HOOTERS came from a popular refused. The next day, she called Ed to
comedy sketch by one of the nation’s hottest comedians of that time, join the HOOTERS team.
Steve Martin.
June 18, Sally Ride becomes the first American
woman in space, on the space shuttle Challenger.
April 1, 1983 1984 1985 1986
July - Live Aid, a multi- Compact discs
venue global rock music first hit the First Hooters outside the
October 1983 - The doors to the first HOOTERS
concert, was organized market. state of Florida opens in
Restaurant opened October 3, 1983 in Clearwater, in order to raise funds for Atlanta, GA.
Florida at 2800 Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard. famine relief in Ethiopia.
July, 1986 - Lynne Austin is
chosen as Playboy’s Playmate
of the Month for July.
The first edition of HOOTERS Calendar
hits the few HOOTERS Restaurants
in existence at that time. Clearwater,
Tampa, Casselberry, Jacksonville and
Lakeland almost sold out of the 2,500
copies printed that year.
Robert H. Brooks
partners up with the
fledgling corporation
with an infusion of cash
to help it expand.
Winter - The first edition of HOOTERS
Magazine makes its appearance.
1991 - In October, the Equal
Employment Opportunity
First Hooters Franchisee location Commission (EEOC) files a
opened in Louisville KY by RMD Corp charge of discrimination against
HOOTERS. Commissioner Ricky
Siberman initiates a charge that
says HOOTERS’ refusal to hire men
as “waiters, bartenders or hosts”
constitutes sex discrimination.
April - The first appearance December - Pan Am Flight 103 is blown
of The Simpsons airs up by Libyan terrorists over Lockerbie, April - The Dilbert comic strip is
on television. Scotland, killing a total of 270 people. syndicated for the first time.
1987 1988 1989 1990 1991
August - The Chicago Cubs play their first ever March - Exxon Valdez oil spill in
night game at home in Wrigley Field. Alaska’s Prince William Sound.
HOOTERS vs EEOC October 1991 - May 1996
With new units and sales steadily Washington to protest the EEOC’s
increasing, HOOTERS went investigation and findings. In a fluke Representatives took the floor of
international. Tranquility set in for a of circumstance, the timing coincided Congress on HOOTERS’ behalf. Newt
brief time until…the EEOC. After four with the government shutdown on Gingrich took a stand on Meet the
years of investigating HOOTERS’ policy November 15, 1995. HOOTERS’ plight Press, while Crossfire and editorials
of hiring only women to be HOOTERS was the top media story of the across the country took up HOOTERS’
Girls, the commission concluded that moment. (Another then not-so-publi- cause. The world responded, and
HOOTERS was discriminating against cized event occurred simultaneously finally, so did the EEOC. The future of
men by not hiring them to be HOOTERS while the HOOTERS Girls marched on the HOOTERS Girl was secured.
Girls (huh?). In a move to protect the Washing- an
very essence of the concept, intern was
HOOTERS, Inc. and HOOTERS of delivering a
America joined forces to bring their pizza to a cer-
case to the world. tain oval office.
Coincidence?
Soliciting grassroots support from Maybe…but
customers and supporters, the gang the HOOTERS
took the first “HOOTERS Guy” (a virile Girls did march
and scruffy HOOTERS manager by the past the White
name of Vince Gigliotti) and hundreds House earlier
of thousands of written protests to that day.)
1992 - Restaurant Business
Magazine names HOOTERS the
fastest growing restaurant chain
in America.
1992 - Alan Kulwiki wins the NASCAR/Winston Cup championship. The 1992 HOOTERS
500 was the final race of the 1992 NASCAR season. The race is considered one of the best
1992 - 1st HOOTERS opens NASCAR races ever. It was held November 15 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The race marked
outside of the US in San Juan, the final NASCAR start for seven-time champion Richard Petty and the first Winston Cup start
Puerto Rico. for future champion Jeff Gordon. For two years (1992-1994), Atlanta Motor Speedway was
home to the HOOTERS 500.
March - Beavis and Butt-Head April The World Wide Web is
debuts on MTV. born at CERN.
1992 1993
August 27 , 1992 - Collapse of the Soviet
Union: Moldova declares independence
from the Soviet Union.
1993 - 100th HOOTERS location opens
in North Richland Hills, Dallas, Texas.
1992 - The HOOTERS Community Endowment Fund 1993 - Arena
(HOO.C.E.F.) is founded. Originally, the fund was established Football: The
to benefit MDA. Since then, it has expanded and in the last Miami
11 years, HOO.C.E.F. has raised millions of dollars for agen- HOOTERS
cies such as Juvenile Diabetes, Special Olympics, and Arena football
many others. team took the
owl to the gridiron. The South Florida HOOT-
April 4, 1993 - April 4 -NASCAR driver ERS Franchise group of David
1993 - HOOTERS begins partner-
Alan Kulwicki, HOOTERS executives Lageshulte and partners Champ Regnier,
ship with the Jordan Golf Tour,
Mark Brooks and Dan Duncan, along Terry Brawner, Kit Klingensmith and Paul
which later will become the NGA
with pilot Charlie Campbell are killed in Lynch bought the Sacramento Attack,
HOOTERS Tour. It remains the
a plane crash near Bristol, TN. renamed it and moved to Miami for three
premiere stepping off tour for
seasons.
many golf greats.
April, 1994 - The April issue of Playboy
Magazine gave readers a little more than
they’re used to seeing in HOOTERS Magazine.
The bright yellow cover entitled “The Girls of
HOOTERS,” hit the shelves featuring a girl in a
slightly modified version of the HOOTERS Girl
uniform on the cover. The magazine featured a
10-page layout of several HOOTERS Girls who,
let’s say, weren’t on the shy side.
January, 1995 - HOOTERS signed a
five-year contract to become the title
sponsor of the Hula Bowl. The 1997 game
marked the 51st for the Hula Bowl, but
it would be the last in Honolulu.
Jane Pauley of NBC Dateline
features HOOTERS
March 21, 1994 - Film director Steven
January 6, 1994 - In Detroit, Michigan, Nancy Kerrigan is Spielberg’s film “Schindler’s List” wins
clubbed on the right leg by an assailant under orders from 7 Oscars, including Best Picture, at the
figure skating rival Tonya Harding’s ex-husband. 66th Academy Awards.
1994 1995
June 12, 1994 - Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald
Loy Allen drives the HOOTERS Ford to Goldman are murdered outside the Simpson home in Los
Angeles, California. O.J. Simpson is later acquitted of the
win the Daytona 500 pole.
killings, but is held liable in a civil suit.
MEET VINCE
Vince Gigliotti - do first steps. “It was overwhelming to “My wife said if I put on a blonde wig,
you know that name? me. HOOTERS spent a lot of time and I would look just like that guy. Well, Ed
Probably not, but in money and said ‘We’re going after this’. I Droste was there and gave me a pretty
one day this Cleve- enjoyed being a part of the campaign.” strange look.” Vince said. “A week later,
land native went from he gave me a call and asked me what I
a manager at HOOTERS of St. Part of the campaign included giant bill- thought about being the HOOTERS Guy.
Petersburg to the living rooms of boards. “I was standing next to Lynne I had an audition with a Marilyn Monroe
more than 150 million Austin, the original billboard model and wig and it took off from there.”
Americans as Vince the HOOTERS she said to me that sooner or later she
Guy. was going to be off the billboard. But He hopped on a jet to Atlanta for a photo
she never thought she would be losing shoot that would become the billboards,
On November 15, 1995, he walked it to me,” he said. “That just made me posters and life-sized cardboard
into a tent packed with Washington chuckle because I’ve known Lynne since standups.
media dressed in a HOOTERS Girl she was a HOOTERS Girl at Clearwater.”
uniform to show the world just how Vince appeared in the Washington Post,
ridiculous the whole situation was. It was a relationship with everyone at Wall Street Journal, Fortune Magazine
the original HOOTERS that led Vince to and hundreds of newspapers and
“I knew my cue to come out and I the role. After a softball game, that Bud magazines.
was fine. I didn’t have any Light commercial with the cross-dress-
butterflies until about five minutes ing guys came on and someone yelled Fortunately for all of us, Vince and the
before, when I got into the HOOT- that Vince looked like the HOOTERS Guy is a thing of the past.
ERS Guy suit,” he said about those impostor with the mustache.
1996 - HOOTERS of America, Inc. chairman Robert Brooks donated
$250,000 to complete the Alan Kulwicki Park in Greenfield, WI.
The centerpiece of
the 28-acre park is
the Brooks Pavilion, a
multiple-use facility
and home to the Alan
Kulwicki museum.
1997 - USAR HOOTERS
ProCup Series formed to honor
the memory of the “Four
November, 1995 - HOOTERS begins the “Washington: Get
Champions”- Mark Brooks, Alan
a Grip” campaign. On November 15, 1995 - Vince Gigliotti
Kulwicki, Charlie Campbell and
walked into a tent packed with Washington media dressed in
Dan Duncan.
a HOOTERS Girl uniform to show the world just how ridiculous
the whole situation was.
October, HOOTERS’ own isotonic sports
drink was introduced.
1996 1997 1998
1995 - First HOOTERS International Swimsuit Pageant August - Diana, Princess of Wales,
July, 1996 - “Independence Day” is the
is held at an outdoor tiki bar in Aloha Tower next to the highest ranking film of 1996, grossing dies in a car crash shortly after
Honolulu HOOTERS. Paula Cobb from Texas took home a $816,969,268. midnight in the Pont de l’Alma road
grand prize of $2500. tunnel in Paris.
1997 - HOOTERSports News, a publication
designed to report on the many sports arenas in
which HOOTERS has become involved, is lanuched.
2002 - Former HOOTERS Calendar Girl,
and the first HOOTERS Girl to become
manager at a HOOTERS Restaurant,
Kelly Jo Dowd discovers she has
breast cancer. As a result of her battle,
HOOTERS becomes involved with the
Susan G. Komen Foundation.
2001 - Zach Johnson is the NGA
HOOTERS Tour Player of the Year.
1999 - The Adam Sandler movie “Big September 11, 2001 - Almost 3,000 people are killed
Daddy” is released and references HOOTERS in the September 11, 2001 attacks at the World Trade
Center in New York City, The Pentagon in Arlington,
throughout, with the final scene taking place in Virginia, and in rural Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
the HOOTERS of Manhattan on the corner of W.
October 23, 2001 - Apple Computer
56th St. and Broadway.
releases the first iPod.
1999 2001 2002
1999 - The human population of the
world surpasses six billion.
2002 - HOOTERS Road Trip, a
1999 - Vaughn Taylor is the NGA
racing game for PC and Play-
HOOTERS Tour Rookie of the Year.
Station, based on the HOOTERS
Wins two PGA Tours over the years
franchise, is released 2002.
since.
2002 - Dick Vitale asks HOOTERS to
become involved with the V Foundation 2002 - Former HOOTERS Girl Adrianne
for Cancer Research. Curry wins the title of America’s Next
2001 – Ben Curtis joins the NGA Top Model on the first season of the
HOOTERS Tour and has one career reality show.
HOOTERS title and three PGA Tour
wins.
LET FREEDOM
WING TOUR
In the 1960s, entertainer Bob Hope used a blend
of music, comedy and beautiful women to lift the
spirits of US Armed Forces personnel fighting in
Vietnam. Nearly 40 years later, HOOTERS found that
the formula still works. On May 26, 2004 a team
of 15 hearty HOOTERS souls embarked on a five-
country, 16-day, Armed Forces Entertainment Tour
to visit with troops fighting in Afghanistan as well
as neighboring countries such as Pakistan where
support bases are located. The HOOTERS goodwill
tour, dubbed Operation: Let Freedom Wing featured
a 90-minute variety show packed with music, humor
and beautiful HOOTERS Girls and UC3, the dynamic
new girl singing group, which HOOTERS sponsors.
One thing for sure is the Military loves HOOTERS. At
every stop the group was advised that it was the
best attended show ever.
2003 2004
December 12, 2003 - Saddam Hussein, October 27, 2004 - The Boston Red Sox win the World
former President of Iraq, is captured. Series for the first time since 1918, breaking the Curse of
the Bambino.
HOOTERS Celebrates its
20th anniversary. March - HOOTERS Air takes off. HOOTERS buys
North Carolina-based charter airlines Pace Airlines.
Airline personnel would staff each flight and HOOTERS
Girls would provide the kind of service patrons of HOOT-
ERS Restaurants have always received.
In 2006 HOOTERS Air stopped flying due to rising costs
in the airline industry.
2003 - Robert Brooks’ son and president
of HOOTERS Coby Brooks, quickly earns
the respect of the collective HOOTERS
system, accelerating the expansion across
the globe and re-instilling the commitment
to quality and charitable involvement from
neighborhoods to nations.
Over 16,000 HOOTERS Calendars, from HOOTERS customers, are shipped
out to military bases during the holidays for Operation Calendar Drop.
猫头鹰
HOOTERS opens its 400th
Restaurant: Thun, Switzerland
is the 400th store and the 34th
The movie “The Bad News Bears” international HOOTERS
with Billy Bob Thornton sets a
celebratory scene at the local
HOOTERS. Coach Thornton, the HOOTERS opens in Thailand, China and Australia.
coach of a children’s baseball March 3, 2005 - Steve Fossett breaks a world record by November - Ted Koppel steps down
team, takes the team to HOOTERS completing the first non-stop, non-refueled, solo flight as host of Nightline after 25 years
after their first victory. around the world in the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer. with the program.
2005
April - HOOTERS of America announced August - Hurricane Katrina strikes
it would team up with professional golfer coastal areas from Louisiana to
Alabama, killing 1,836.
John Daly to help market the world famous
HOOTERS Restaurants and its various brands.
Betty Boop becomes the oldest
HOOTERS Girl at 75, when the
2004 - HOOTERS company releases 10 designs
introduces its own featuring the sexy senior citizen
potato chips line. as part of its HOOTERS Collectible
Pins set.
HOOTERS locations across the
country have partnered up with
the American Red Cross in an ef-
fort to contribute to the Hurricane
Katrina Relief Fund. HOOTERS
locations collect contributions
from staff and guests for the
HOOTERS Hope Cards displayed
in the restaurants to raise money
for the cause.
2006 - HOOTERS,
partnered with
the V Foundation
for Cancer
Research,
established
a $2 Million
Breast Cancer Research Grant
in Dowd’s name. The company
also launched an awareness
and early detection educational
February 2006 - The HOOTERS Casino Hotel opens. The program using videos featuring
HOOTERS Six retained the rights to open a casino in Las Vegas. Kelly Jo that have been viewed
The actual car that Alan Kulwicki raced in the ‘92 Winston Cup is by thousands.
located at HOOTERS Casino Hotel.
2006 - HOOTERS branches out from
beer and wine to begin serving mixed
drinks in many restaurants. U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally Kobe Bryant scored 81 points in regulation
shoots his friend and lawyer, Harry Whittington, in and is second only to the legendary 1960s
the face with a shotgun on a south Texas ranch. center Wilt Chamberlain, who had 100 points.
2006
The Nintendo Wii is released.
July - Tenth annual HOOTERS Swimsuit Pageant
July 17, 2006 - HOOTERS of America
is held at Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino in
Chairman of the Board, Worldwide
2006 - HOOTERS makes the Las Vegas, NV. Michelle Nunes from Las Vegas, NV
Wing Commander Robert H. Brooks
news when CEO Bob Brooks took home the grand prize of $50,000.
dies unexpectedly at his home in
offers to reimburse FEMA Myrtle Beach, SC at the age of 69.
when it comes to light that
government funds slated for
aid to Katrina victims was,
instead, used by a customer
to purchase a $200 bottle
of Dom Perignon. HOOTERS
was unaware of the source
of the funds at the time.
HOOTERS Cookbook - We decided to
share delicious recipes with our fans.
Former NGA HOOTERS Tour Player of
the Year Zach Johnson wins the 2007 May - Kelly Jo Dowd loses her
Masters Tournament. battle with breast cancer.
March - FOX Sports Best Damn Sports
Show Period and HOOTERS selected
16 of the hottest HOOTERS Girls for
the HOOTERS Magazine Best Damn
Swimsuit Edition. The first HOOTERS
Best Damn Dream Girl cover girl
February, 2007 - HOOTERS introduces its
winner was Anna Burns of
first Energy Drink and the HOOTERS Energy
Fayetteville, NC.
racing team with Craftsman Truck racer
November - Motorcycle
Casey Kingsland. daredevil Evel Knievel
February - Anna Nicole Smith
dies at age 69.
dies at the age of 39.
2007 2008 and beyond!
April - 32 people are killed in a
shooting massacre on the premises
of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA.
HOOTERS Celebrates 25th Anniversary
September 2007 - HOOTERS Girls on the
Great Wall- HOOTERS of Beijing opens.
HOOTERS branches
out from beer and
wine to begin serving
mixed drinks in many
restaurants.
2007 - The Adam Sandler and Kevin James
movie “I Now Pronounce You Chuck and
Larry” is released with references to HOOTERS
throughout the film. HOOTERS Magazine
makes its first silver screen appearance.