By Mary Avila
Tuesday, February 03, 2009 at 7:01 p.m.
Read more: Local, Economy, Hooters, Hooters Closes, Brownsville, Rio Grande Valley
BROWNSVILLE -- The wing-toting staff in Brownsville is no more.
Tuesday, Hooters permanently shut down and laying off more than three dozen employees.
Former employee Manny Rodriguez told Action 4 News that he got the bad news on Tuesday morning.
"We just got the news today....early in the morning... that we just lost business and we are not going to work at Hooters no more," Rodriguez said. "There's going to be no more Hooters at Brownsville so that's something really sad"
Action 4 News contacted Hooters for comment and learned the Brownsville location is owned by franchisee Texas Wings, Inc. out of Dallas.
Company Vice President Mike Herrick issued a statement about the closure.
"They will be closing their Brownsville location effective immediately," he said in the statemetn. "The closing is the result of poor sales. The closing will affect 35 employees who were all given severance packages."
Brownsville resident Chris Martinez said he lives next door to the restaurant at the Borders Apartments.
“It's a big lost to the city of Brownsville and it just goes to show you that the dangers that our economy is facing now," Martinez said. "Hopefully our new president will be able to get us out of this deficit.”
We spotted a moving crew with U-hauls taking out tables and chairs clearing out the restaurant.
Rodriguez said he remains optimistic despite being laid off.
"We weren't making enough sales so that's why we lost our jobs, but it's all good, you know. We are all looking towards the future trying to do better things for us," he said.
