Twenty-four hours before Ina Road was set to shut down for two years, Hooters in Marana announced Tuesday that it would be closing for good this Sunday.
The reason: “Restricted access” because of the $148 million state Ina Road improvement project that will cut off traffic from both sides of Ina near Interstate 10. The road closures will go into effect early Wednesday and continue through 2019.
“Unfortunately with the restricted access due to Ina road closures and construction, it is time for us to close this site,” Dave Peterson, the regional manager for the Colorado-based Hooters franchise operator, announced in a written release. The franchisee owns the Ina Road restaurant and a new Hooters that recently opened at 7280 E. Broadway.
Hooters, meanwhile, will move the Marana restaurant, located inside Bedroxx Bowling at 4385 W. Ina Road, to West Irvington Road and Interstate 19, across the street from a new shopping plaza set to open in 2019. Peters said he also expects to open in 2019.
Hooters Marana opened in early 1999 in what was then the New West/Gotham night club. The club closed in 2002 and Bedroxx opened in spring 2003.
Peterson said business started falling off months ago when the initial Ina Road construction began. Several businesses, including Chuys and Waffle House, both located on Ina near I-10, closed late last spring and early summer.
“Our goal is to hopefully be able to ride it out, but we’ve seen the sales drop drastically and we had to make a decision,” Peterson said.
“We had a great run and we have a lot of loyal people in that area who have been a part of us that whole time.”
Bedroxx owner Cyndi Johnson said Hooters still has months left on its current lease, which she said expires in October. As of Tuesday, no one from the restaurant had officially informed her of Sunday’s closing; she said she learned of it from Hooters’ employees.
Johnson said that according to the lease agreement, Hooters needs to give her 60 days notice that it wants out. Once that happens, she said she plans to expand Bedroxx into the Hooters space and create a laser tag room and more activities to appeal to adults and kids.
“We want to make Bedroxx a one-stop shopping: we want stuff for adults, stuff for teens, stuff for kids,” she said.
Johnson said she isn’t too worried that the Ina Road closing will greatly impact her business. Bedroxx, which hosts bowling leagues and private parties including its popular kids birthday parties, is more of a destination business. People usually set out to go to Bedroxx and will find their way even if it means taking a detour, she said.
“We have the worst location as it is, but they still manage to make it here,” Johnson said. “We’re hoping we can plug it through the next 24 months. Look at the bright side: In 24 months, we’re going to be a great location.”
Hooters will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, from 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
