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Last week, it was reported that residents of Charleston, West Virginia were down very bad after news that their local Hooters was going to be demolished.
In fact, they were so upset at the prospect of losing the Hooters in the Kanawha City neighborhood that they planned to hold a candlelight vigil to pay their respects.
“Bring your candles and signs and let’s let Hooters and the city know we will miss it tremendously,” read the vigil’s description online.
Over the weekend, the candlelight vigil was held and many a tear was shed.
“It’s a lot of memories going down with that building,” Rand resident Noah Collins told WCHS News.
“I started out coming in to get a job and it became so much more because I met so many life long friends and my co-workers,” said former Hooters employee Danielle Hughart.
“For all the naysayers, the doubters, the down talkers and whatnot. This building right here was a legitimate iconic figure to the Kanawha Valley,” said vigil co-organizer Leo Browning.
In addition to reminiscing, the hundreds of attendees also helped raise money to help a family whose daughter has a rare disease and needs travel to California for treatment.
“One of our close friend’s daughters, she was just diagnosed with a very, very rare disease and it’s very serious. If she don’t get help then she’s not going to be with us much longer,” Browning explained.
In addition to the Hooters, a Captain D’s was also demolished to make way for a new Sheetz convenience store.
The Hooters actually closed in 2020 thanks to the pandemic, but locals always held out hope for a triumphant return. Sadly, it didn’t happen and Monday morning it was gone.
“Long live Hooters!” the crowd shouted before demolition crews arrived.