When a door closes, opportunities come knocking, and in one recent situation, the closing of a Hooters in Lafayette has paved the way for prolific restauranteur Ruben Chavez to come knocking with a new sports bar concept at 3221 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy. While Chavez is known for his chain of El Paso Mexican Grill restaurants, the new sports bar will primarily focus on modern American comfort foods like burgers, chicken wings, quesadillas and tacos. The building and space is currently being de-Hoorter-ized and renovated with fresh décor and branding. Changes are also being made to the kitchen to accommodate the new concepts. A name and the opening date has not been announced. In related news, Chavez is also set to open a seafood spot in Baton Rouge.
Sadly, the Hooters was shuttered this past New Year’s Day, and reportedly, employees were given little advanced notice of what was coming. Franchisee Joel Wood has told The Advocate that another Hooters location could pop up around Lafayette in the near future
