Hooters king Robert Brooks, 69
Posted: Tuesday, July 18th, 2006 7:00 amRobert H. Brooks, who, as the self-styled “Worldwide Wing Commander” of Hooters restaurants, known for spicy chicken wings and spicier waitresses, took the company to 46 states and 20 countries, died on Sunday at his home in Myrtle Beach, S.C. He was 69.
The company announced the death. The Associated Press said an autopsy found he died of unspecified natural causes.
Mr. Brooks, who was raised as a Methodist on a tobacco farm lacking plumbing and electricity, might have seemed an odd sort to lead an empire based on hot pants and pitchers of beer. When he first invested in Hooters, he said he did not know that the name and owl-eyes logo were meant as a reference to the female anatomy. …
He proceeded to open Hooters franchises from San Diego to São Paulo to Shanghai, at 430 locations in all. He started a magazine, pro golf tour, stock car racing series, credit card and casino, all under the Hooters name. His boldest venture, Hooters Air, an airline with hostesses in the familiar orange shorts and white tank-tops, began flying two years ago, but was grounded by high fuel prices. … Read full obituary
