Hooters was appropriately incorporated on April Fool's Day, 1983, when six businessmen with absolutely no previous restaurant experience got together and decided to open a place they couldn't get kicked out of. Soon after, on October 4th of that year, the doors to the first Hooters Restaurant opened in Clearwater, Florida. The now famous "Hooters Six" were: L.D. Stewart, a painting contractor; Gil DiGiannantonio, a liquor salesman; "Uncle Billy" Ranieri, a retired service station owner; Ed Droste, a real estate executive; Dennis Johnson, a brick mason by trade; and Ken Wimmer, a partner in the painting business with L.D. Strange group. The first Hooters Girl, Lynne Austin, was hired on a bet. One fine day in sunny Florida, one of the Hooters Six anchored his boat off Clearwater Beach to swim in and catch the Jose Cuervo bikini contest. Droste bet the gang on the boat that he could entice the winner of the contest to become the first Hooters Girl. He then bravely paddled into shore.

Out of their fertile imaginations came the concept of Hooters. The restaurant would combine their favorite manly finger foods with the 50's and 60's music they felt best exemplified a happy, nostalgic time in most Americans' memories. Then came the wood. Lots of wood. Walls, floors, tables, bars-Denny & L.D. put it everywhere, choosing T1-11 as the exterior of choice because it was the cheapest. The irreverent sense of humor started with the creative menu saga written by Ken. It combined nicely with the most important element, the beautiful and vivacious Hooters Girls. The name Hooters came from a popular comedy sketch by one of the nation's hottest comedians of that time, Steve Martin.(The Christmas tree lights only came to be a part of the concept because everyone was just too lazy to take them down after that first Christmas. Hooters targets male customers with a largely-endowed female waitress staff, though men work at Hooters as cooks, hosts, bartenders, and managers. The menu includes hamburgers and other sandwiches, steak, seafood, and chicken. It also specializes in Buffalo wings. Almost all Hooters hold alcoholic beverage licenses and sell beer and wine.

A Hooters Girl is a female waitress employed by the Hooters restaurant chain. It is generally thought that Hooters Girls are chosen for their breast size, but in fact they are usually chosen for all-around good looks. If small-chested, they may be asked to pad their bras. They are instantly recognizable by their uniform of a white tank top with the Hooters owl logo and the location name on the front paired with the famously short orange runner's shorts. Originally, the T-shirts were white cotton, pulled tight and knotted in the back to emphasize the breasts. For years, this knot tying was a Hooters ritual before opening. Later, Hooters changed to a tight white spandex top that eliminated the knot-tying and is also less transparent when wet. Waitresses also have a choice of shirts that are more suitable for cold weather. The company also began using other colors and designs for their tops such as a camouflage theme on Monday ("Military Mondays"), black on Friday ("Formal Fridays"), and the football uniforms of a local NFL team during the NFL season. The remainder of the Hooters Girl's uniform consists of glossy suntan pantyhose, white socks, and white athletic shoes. Men who work at Hooters wear shirts with long pants, Bermuda shorts, or attire more suitable for cooking.

It was around 1989 and I was a 'Custom Picture Framer' at this point in time. I got that job because I was an artist ...but that is a different story. I was going no where fast. Let's just say being a 'Picture Framer' doesn't pay all the bills and I needed a second job to bring in more income. Well, Palm Harbor Hooters was around the corner, so what the hell. I applied and got the job. I started as a dishdog (dishwasher), and as I look back at this picture now. I think how green and naive I used to be back then...

I jumped ahead to this photo to show you what a change happen to me in those 6 years. Beer, chicken wings and girls - what stories I have. So click through and enjoy the pictures, videos and stories... (BTW that is the same friggin pink hat I got when I was hired - haha)

Palm Harbor Hooters opened there doors around 1987-88. It is located in the middle of 'suburbia' so it is a family restaurant - no seriously it is a family restaurant. I have been to many other Hooters where it was more a 'guy joint' where Palm Harbor you will find just as many women and children as patrons as men.

Pictured: (L to R) Reba Harvey, Peggy Brock, Hostess?, Lisa, Jo, Hooters girl, Laura, Frank, Tami Mills, Missy, Erin, Manager?, Lisa Zitiello, Bonnie, Faith, Stephanie?, Scott, Terese, Little Barb,Hooters girl, Hooters girl, Hostess, Brenda, Tammy Riley, Georgia, Hooters girl, Charlie, Vicky Barrows, Slash, Shelley. Bottom: Funny Hooters guy that hated his job, Hooters guy, Hooters guy, Larry Marrow(with his kids), Dave, Hooters guys

-- Click on Image for Video -- Here is a teaser video done up music video style to give you an idea what my time at Hooters was like.

Click on the image to start the video...

-- Click on Image for Video -- This is one of the first Hooters commercial filmed at Palm Harbor Hooters back in 1987 or 1988. This goes back aways.

Kim H one of the first Hooters girls I ever met.

-- Click on Image for Video -- Hooters Night Owl theatre intro back in 1987. Oh, how tacky it was.