Hooters has opened a new location in Flemington at 250 Highway 202.
The fast-casual chicken wing brand Thursday said it is escalating its worldwide footprint as the Flemington restaurant joins four other locations in New Jersey, including Atlantic City, East Brunswick, Princeton and Somerset.
Company leadership has identified the northeast region as a prime market for continued growth, with franchise opportunities available in large designated market areas.
Bringing Hooters to the Flemington market is Joe Azir, a New Jersey entrepreneur who already owns two Hooters locations and a hotel. Having officially opened its doors on May 12, the new location will bring 70 jobs to the community. As Hooters looks to grow throughout the region, Flemington was a target market due to its high traffic and growing population as the city gains in popularity.
“It speaks volumes when we have yet another franchisee who doubles-down on their current investment to open more locations,” Michael Arrowsmith, chief development officer of HOA Brands, parent company to Hooters & Hoots Wings, said. “We’ve been doing this for 40 years and look forward to continuing to grow our footprint as the industry leaders.”
Along with the Northeast region, Hooters is targeting additional expansion in areas such as western New York, western Pennsylvania and West Virginia, with a greater focus on underserved areas.
“Now with the Flemington opening, we have 363 restaurants across the globe, and our customers continue to ask for more Hooters where they live, work and socialize,” Arrowsmith added. “Joe is a prime example of the ideal Hooters franchisee — a bold, local entrepreneur with experience growing businesses and wanting to join a proven brand that can bring a fun, sporting restaurant to the community.”