ARLINGTON Texas Texas Wings Inc., a 43-unit Texas franchisee of Hooters of America Inc., said it has won back the liquor license for a store in a Dallas suburb after a more than two-year legal battle.
In 2005, an organization called the Partnership for Community Values convinced a court to suspend the liquor license of the Hooters unit in South Arlington, Texas. Texas Wings said the conservative group had hoped to force the store out of business. However, the Texas Office of Administrative Hearings recently ruled in favor of the Hooters franchise, and the Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission reissued the liquor license Monday.
While the company fought the court ruling, Texas Wings’ majority owner Kelly Hall decided to give away up to two beers per guest in the restaurant. In the 30 months without a license, the company estimates that it gave away more than $1.2 million in beer.
Mike Herrick, executive vice president of Texas Wings, said in a statement: “Clearly this extremist group underestimated the will of Hooters to pursue justice and wage this battle. We felt we had a responsibility to our owners, employees and guests to put up this fight. If we had not stopped these opponents of freedom here there's no telling where it could have led.”
According to its website, Atlanta-based Hooters operates or franchises more than 435 locations in 44 states and 22 countries.