he was the son of the late Felix Melilli and Frances Horback Melilli Vucich Bill was an electrical engineer for Westinghouse Electric and retired in 1996 while continuing to work as a consultant for many years actively served as a eucharistic minister and usher and was also active in the Holy Name Society This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Gathering materials that represent a diversity of cultures and backgrounds is a focus of this librarian who heads UNLV's Teacher Development & Resources Library Amanda Melilli believes that books can save lives. As head of UNLV’s Teacher Development & Resources Library (TDRL) Melilli is putting that belief into action She works closely with College of Education (COE) faculty to strategically develop collections that represent all cultures and backgrounds Her goal is to enable future teachers to present diverse literature in their classrooms and to ensure that more diverse reading opportunities are available for the entire UNLV community "took a combination of years of experience I've always been a believer that books don't just change lives they can save lives — especially for children and young adults I knew I wanted to work with young people and literature and I thought this meant I needed to become a teacher after working in libraries for a few years and taking some classes on youth library services I realized that I was much better suited to being a librarian than a classroom educator Our mission at the TDRL is to promote inclusive materials for use in the preschool through the 12th-grade curriculum that reflect the diverse identities of our student populations I strongly believe that for our students to be successful and to reach their full potential they must be able to see their lived experiences and the lived experiences of others in their classrooms and in the resources used to teach them I hope that by teaching our College of Education students about quality, inclusive curriculum materials and helping them learn how to find and evaluate inclusive resources that they’ll feel empowered not only to develop their own reader identities but also to help their future students develop a love for reading I want to create a library where every student who walks through the door can see themselves reflected in our resources and can receive the support they need during their time at UNLV Being a librarian at UNLV and running one of our branches means that I do have to wear a lot of different hats One morning I may be invited to speak to a College of Education class on graphic novels or I’ll help students find and evaluate resources I may be researching and ordering materials for our collection or working with my staff on the different projects we do at the TDRL to improve the library experience for our users I also have national and University Libraries committee responsibilities and research projects to work on Essentially the only thing that is typical in my day is responding to emails and attending meetings The first is that I don’t get to move around the library and engage with my staff and library users like I used to due to social distancing and I try to avoid entering other staff offices or public areas throughout the day I miss the casual check-ins that come from seeing people in person The second big change has been parenting my 4-year-old son while working We’ve been really lucky to have childcare support for him since the summer but there have been times where we don’t have childcare for a week or so I appreciate how supportive everyone has been about the fact that a lot of us are trying to work and care for our kids in a stressful situation I can’t think of one singular funny moment but it’s been interesting seeing the evolution of my son in regard to us working remotely he was apprehensive toward virtual meetings and “strangers being in the house,” so he would avoid the camera a lot Now he is really curious about who we’re meeting with and what we’re talking about So when I’m working from home and there’s a meeting going on there’s a good chance he’s going to make a guest appearance and say “hi” to everyone I’m also regularly in the role of "Lego assistant." It’s not unusual to see me during meetings taking Lego pieces apart and responding to the question Although I’m not a huge ‘meme’ person, what I thought was clever was the Bernie Sanders meme floating around right after the presidential inauguration. The University Libraries’ meme of Bernie Sanders and Mandy the Skeleton was one of my absolute favorites Fourth-year medical students reflect on their medical school journey one week before commencement Sky Denson says UNLV's real estate program helped launch his career — before he even graduated a longtime UNLV faculty member and administrator most recently served as the university's officer in charge; appointment runs through April 2028.  are among the 2023 Georgia Titan 100 honorees to be recognized this spring Titan CEO and headline sponsor Wipfli LLP are pleased to announce each of these officers of HOA Brands the company featuring brands such as Hooters and hoots wings by Hooters The Titan 100 program recognizes Georgia’s Top 100 CEOs & C-level executives These executives are among the area’s most accomplished business leaders in their industry using criteria that includes demonstrating exceptional leadership Collectively the 2023 Georgia Titan 100 and their companies employ upwards of 118,000 individuals and generate over $36 billion in annual revenues This year’s honorees will be published in a limited-edition Titan 100 book and profiled exclusively online They will be honored at an awards ceremony on April 27 and have the opportunity to interact and connect multiple times throughout the year with their fellow Titans “The Titan 100 are changing the way that business is done in Georgia,” said Jaime Zawmon “These preeminent leaders have built a distinguished reputation that is unrivaled and preeminent in their field We proudly recognize the Titan 100 for their efforts to shape the future of the Georgia business community Their achievements create a profound impact that makes an extraordinary difference for their customers and clients across the nation.” Melilli has led countless successful initiatives during his tenure as CEO and president of HOA Brands the franchisor and operator of more than 400 Hooters restaurants Leveraging his expertise in brand management franchising relations and extensive general management he oversees the nearly billion-dollar brand and manages close to 400 units worldwide Starting his career with the brand more than 25 year ago Melilli began his work at Hooters in the “Heart of House” as a dishwasher and intern before climbing the ranks and mastering various skills Melilli has developed and led the most successful territories within the Hooters system to date and was instrumental in creating hoots wings by Hooters we want our restaurant to remain their escape from the rigors of everyday life.,” added Melilli “We enrich people’s lives in good times and in bad times we’ve become woven into the fabric of people’s lives for different reasons and occasions continue to elevate the dine-in experience enabling them to enjoy Hooters wherever they are we will enhance our digital ordering/delivery technology and program for customers who prefer to order online through apps for pickup or delivery.” Whiting-Kish began her career with HOA Brands as a Hooters Girl at a West Palm Beach restaurant Her talent and determination helped her rise through the Hooters leadership ranks she developed the company’s formalized training program creating equitable opportunities for everyone within the organization to grow with the brand Whiting-Kish spent 17 years leading her consulting firm before returning to HOA in 2019 as senior vice president of organizational effectiveness She was promoted to chief people officer last year the training helps team members build leadership acumen so they can be successful within and beyond the brand “We will continue supporting our team members many of whom are Heart of House (kitchen staff) and Hooters Girls by providing a beneficial workplace environment We are in the ‘people business,’ and our people are our priority We will offer employees resources allowing them to live their desired lives and support their families with compensation to spend on what’s important to them our team members are prepared to climb any career ladder including inside the Hooters brand or elsewhere We remain committed to upward mobility within our brand like dishwashers becoming CEO and Hooters Girls serving as chief people officer we will maintain our college tuition reimbursement program an initiative that has given millions of dollars to our hourly team members.” Melilli and Whiting-Kish will be honored at the Titan 100 awards on April 27 at Zoo Atlanta: Savanna Hall. One of the city’s most treasured historic buildings the 1921 building has been revitalized by Zoo Atlanta for its new life today As the home of the Atlanta Cyclorama for more than 90 years the building is famous for its grand scale and neoclassical architecture. This unique cocktail-style awards event will gather 100 Titans of Industry and their guests for an evening unlike anything that exists in the Georgia business community “On behalf of all the partners and associates at Wipfli It’s an honor to recognize this diverse group of leaders in the Atlanta community We appreciate the lasting impact each leader has made in building organizations of significance both in Atlanta and abroad Your ingenuity and creativity have set you apart and the honor of being seen as an industry Titan is richly deserved,” said Bill Boucher Vincenzo Melilli is a European trademark and design attorney who graduated from the Catholic Law School of Milan and obtained an LLM from Fordham University School of Law in New York Mr Melilli worked at a New York IP law firm where he specialised in trademark prosecution A member of the American Bar Association (ABA) the ABA Design Committee and INTA’s Design Committee Mr Melilli focuses on trademark and design matters He also lectures on trademark and design law as well as comparative IP strategies at the Politecnico POLI.Design and Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan Unlock unlimited access to all WTR content Entrepreneur® and its related marks are registered trademarks of Entrepreneur Media LLC Quality leadership is like a bag of golf clubs A golf bag full of top-notch clubs — from putter to driver — gives a golfer the essential tools they need for a great 18-hole round Being a good leader also means having a lot of available tools and ideas around you at all times to make it easier to navigate the countless situations that occur every day as an executive "You got different clubs in the bag," explains Sal Melilli to Shawn Walchef of Cali BBQ Media "Here are some of the tools that we can look at or things you could possibly consider to help get you through the point where you are today." The "clubs" you can wield might come in different types of inspiration — mentors memory — just like in golf there are woods Sal never thought he'd get into social media but eventually he gave in to that new form of communication and discovered certain key people who have influenced him "I also keep different notes around my desk for inspiration," Sal Melilli added about the ways he finds inspiration as the chief executive of a legendary restaurant company the brand was born in Florida when "six businessmen with no restaurant experience whatsoever got together to open a place they couldn't get kicked out of." They call it the happiest accident in restaurant history but the mentality remains the same as it was in the '80s The Hooters brand was created from day 1 to be about fun — to "rescue people from the ordinary." Eventually Hooters with its comfort food and comfortable surroundings — and the fashionable and cheery Hooters Girls — became cultural icons Hooters franchises and operates more than "420 restaurants" in almost every state in the US according to Technomic's Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report published by Restaurant Business Online Hooters of America (HOA) Brands also operates Hoots Wings an emerging QSR franchise with lots of different styles to offer chicken wing fans Sal Melillis said Hooters has learned to diversify within its strengths The International Miss Hooters Pageant was a big success for the brand and has even inspired similar live events at a local franchise level Related: The Over-the-Top Strategy That Is Creating Lifelong Customers for This Restaurant Group You'll also be able to buy Hooters products in the grocery store "We're on the cusp of some pretty exciting opportunities that we're building in the licensing part around this brand," he said Though live events and retail products are becoming a way to continue developing the brand around the globe it's the dining room Hooters experience that is the core of the company Because of this Hooter is investing in sports betting With more than half of all states in the US allowing legal sports gambling there is lots of revenue to be earned from tapping into the customers' desire to bet on sports while eating wings and drinking beer in a fun environment Hooters has launched live betting at dozens of restaurants in multiple states and has also partnered with brands like DraftKings With new opportunities to bring the company into the future Sal said the core of the Hooters has always been the people who work there Sal Melilli's ascent at Hooters took him from sink to c-suite he found himself mastering job after job within the organization until landing at the top The chief executive's astronomical rise is not an uncommon occurrence at Hooters The company publicly prides itself on providing workers with the skills and training to succeed and move up Or employees can move on to other career paths but still retain with them what they learned Hooters leaned into spotlighting the essence of their brand — the Hooter Girl Especially important to the Hooters I AM initiative (standing for "Image Memorable") is how the more than 500,000 Hooters Girl alumni are not merely defined by their iconic Orange Shorts but by their many achievements in life after donning that classic outfit and will be the absolute essence of the business," the CEO said So some of them move on to great careers with us "We've really tried to put a focus on celebrating the empowerment of women." said the 40th anniversary was a chance to honor those who personify the most important part of the brand "I think it's time to honor who she is as an individual," she said in FSR Magazine "I also hope to give the women of the brand again a spotlight to say I choose to leverage my time here whether it's to make money while I go to school or to learn communication skills,' or whatever it is." Subscribe to Restaurant Influencers: Entrepreneur | Spotify | Apple Restaurant Influencers is brought to you by Toast the powerful restaurant point of sale and management system that helps restaurants improve operations increase sales and create a better guest experience Toast — Powering Successful Restaurants. Learn more about Toast Cali BBQ Media Founder Shawn Walchef helps brands and leaders leverage the new Business Creator Economy with strategic Smartphone Storytelling and Digital Hospitality His Cali BBQ restaurant company has generated more than $35 million since opening in 2008 They operate numerous locations in San Diego and beyond Shawn’s weekly video series Restaurant Influencers (published by Entrepreneur Media and produced by Cali BBQ Media) has been seen by over 25 million people We'll be in your inbox every morning Monday-Saturday with all the day’s top business news best advice and exclusive reporting from Entrepreneur Hooters was one of the success stories among large sports-bar chains in 2020 largely because it was ready to shift to an all off-premises menu The Atlanta-based chain already had seen that takeout and delivery were going to be growing segments of their business and had launched a fast-casual spinoff chain allowing corporate management and franchisees to become familiar with catering to the off-premises space Hooters management had been approached before the pandemic started by third-party-delivery company Uber Eats to roll out a virtual burger concept so Hootie’s Burger Bar was up and running even before last year’s lock down the parent company has launched Hootie’s Bait & Tackle All of those concepts have remained popular even as dining rooms opened up leading to incremental sales with minimal added cost Hooters CEO Sal Melilli discusses the chain’s success and his optomism for a bright future Contact Bret Thorn at [email protected]  Follow him on Twitter: @foodwriterdiary Bret Thorn is senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality Hi is responsible for spotting and reporting on F&B trends across the country for both publications and other experts in foodservice operations From 2005 to 2008 he also wrote the Kitchen Dish column for The New York Sun covering restaurant openings and chefs’ career moves in New York City He joined Nation’s Restaurant News in 1999 after spending about five years in Thailand banking and finance as well as restaurant reviews and food columns for Manager magazine and Asia Times newspaper He joined Restaurant Hospitality’s staff in 2016 while retaining his position at NRN A magna cum laude graduate of Tufts University in Medford Thorn also studied traditional French cooking at Le Cordon Bleu Ecole de Cuisine in Paris He spent his junior year of college in China history and culture for a semester each at Nanjing University and Beijing University he also worked for ABC News during the protests and ultimate crackdown in and around Tiananmen Square in 1989 Thorn’s monthly column in Nation’s Restaurant News won the 2006 Jesse H Neal National Business Journalism Award for best staff-written editorial or opinion column He served as president of the International Foodservice Editorial Council Thorn wrote the entry on comfort food in the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America He also wrote a history of plated desserts for the Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets He was inducted into the Disciples d’Escoffier in 2014 Bret Thorn’s areas of expertise include food and beverage trends in restaurants the cuisines of Asia in general and Thailand in particular Email: [email protected] As the restaurant industry struggles toward gender parity in leadership ranks these 52 women have become the standard-bearers for change Registered in England & Wales with number 01835199 recently celebrated its 25th anniversary with a Sunday fundraising soiree at the Newport Beach Country Club Margaret Gates, anniversary chair, welcomed a handsome gathering of music advocates for an evening concert billed as “Oh, the Places We’ve Been!” The performance traced the history and legacy of the ensemble of professional musicians who perform on an octet of acoustically matched violins The local musicians in the Hutchins Consort toured in 14 states and three foreign countries They’ve collaborated extensively with fellow artists Major donors David and Darrellyn Melilli attend the Hutchins Consort gala (Ann Chatillon) The evening in Newport Beach honored Hutchins Consort founding chair Sharon McNalley whose passion and leadership for the music has been both inspirational and transformational for many citizens supporting the legacy Advocates and donors attending included William Amneus Paying tribute to the contributions of Sharon McNalley the crowd offered a rousing standing ovation Chair Gates joined the guests in honoring the memory of dedicated Hutchins Consort extended family supporters Dr Ron and Marcia Kay Radelet at the Hutchins Consort 25th anniversary gala in Newport Beach (Ann Chatillon) Attending the celebration were Dan and Cassie Hutchins Coon in from New Hampshire for the 25th anniversary event Cassie Hutchins Coon is the daughter of Carleen Hutchins creator and crafter of the acoustically matched violins that are used by the consort Carleen Hutchins’ violins are placed in museums such as the Metropolitan Museum in New York City Over the years the Southern California-based consort has also performed in such notable venues as the Vatican’s Aula Magna Pontifical Their educational outreach efforts have enriched schools and colleges nationwide senior centers and specific underserved communities including Native American reservations Introduced to the gala consort crowd on this night in Newport Beach was the consort’s new composer in residence a contrabassist hailing from Argentina who currently resides in Mexico VIP guests at the Hutchins Consort event Dan Coons Cassie Hutchins Coons (daughter of Hutchins Consort founder Carleen Hutchins) (Ann Chatillon) An elegant candlelit spring dinner followed the performance catered by the highly regarded culinary team led by Chef Graeme Blair at Newport Beach Country Club preparing and serving a three-course dinner featuring a main entrée of filet mignon and salmon Tables in the dining room were festooned with snow globe centerpieces representing 14 nations where the consort has traveled Sharing memories were Hutchins board president John McCarthy and his wife Kerry To learn more about Hutchins Consort visit hutchinsconsort.org. B.W. Cook is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach. Opinion Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Log in to comment on videos and join in on the fun Watch the live stream of Fox News and full episodes Reduce eye strain and focus on the content that matters Khaleda Rahman is Newsweek's National Correspondent based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on education and national news. Khaleda joined Newsweek in 2019 and had previously worked at the MailOnline in London, New York and Sydney. She is a graduate of University College London. Languages: English. You can get in touch with Khaleda by emailing k.rahman@newsweek.com either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content Hooters is being sued by a former top executive who alleges the company fired him after not paying him commission he earned was hired as the company's chief development officer in June 2022 His role involved overseeing the growth of corporate and franchise locations according to a press release issued by the company Arrowsmith received a letter with an offer of employment on June 1 that year according to a lawsuit he filed against Hooters of America (HOA) in the U.S District Court for the Middle District of Florida on Wednesday the letter said that as well as receiving an annual salary of $275,000 Arrowsmith would be "eligible to earn a bonus in the form of commission on franchise sales." Arrowsmith "performed his work well and met the qualifications for earning commission" on such sales He was due to be paid commission after his efforts resulted in a development agreement with Best Wings LLC in July 2023 according to emails included in the complaint But days after he complained in November about not receiving the commission said her client is "seeking compensation for the value of the work he performed for HOA whether that value was guaranteed by a contract or otherwise." Thorpe said Arrowsmith "is also seeking to recover the lost wages and benefits and other expenses incurred as a result of HOA's unlawful retaliation against him." She said that "final calculations on lost commission will be made as information is uncovered in the course of litigation." Newsweek has reached out to Hooters via email for comment The complaint noted that Hooters CEO Sal Melilli congratulated Arrowsmith on the deal the following month and told him his commission would be processed in "normal payroll." The company's chief financial officer also confirmed she was providing the information to payroll according to Arrowsmith's email correspondence included in the complaint The complaint goes on to say that after not receiving the payment Arrowsmith emailed Melilli to remind him that the commission was due to him as part of his compensation package he told Melilli that he had agreed to "a below market salary" that board members "insisted upon" because "I believed in the Hooters brand and in my ability to market and sign-up franchisees." that amount is due to me as part of my compensation My employment agreement does not have a provision regarding openings Arrowsmith's employment was terminated "without cause" later that month from Hooters said Arrowsmith's employment was terminated "for cause," but did not elaborate It said that he would be eligible to receive severance pay for three months The lawsuit accuses the company of breaching Arrowsmith's employment agreement by not paying the commission due or the severance pay reasonable attorney's fees and costs and "any and all other relief permitted by law deemed just and proper by the court." The complaint says he suffered damages in excess of $75,000 "It is our position that HOA terminated Mr Arrowsmith in retaliation for his reports of unlawful conduct and falsely deemed it to be 'for cause' in the November 30 2023 letter so HOA could try and avoid its obligation under Mr Arrowsmith's employment contract to pay him a severance "We also believe that the unlawful termination was an effort to avoid fairly compensating Mr Arrowsmith for the hard work he had put into growing the HOA brand just when that hard work was coming to fruition." Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsweek is committed to journalism that's factual and fair Hold us accountable and submit your rating of this article on the meter. Newsletters in your inbox See all You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience Do you find yourself feeling overworked and overwhelmed head of the Library Liaison Program at the University of Nevada head of the Teacher Development and Resources Library at UNLV have both been there and shared some startling statistics: it should not come as a surprise that there has been a strong emphasis on well-being at the 2019 ALA Annual Conference Well-being has been emphasized because it is absolutely essential This dynamic duo engaged in a 15-week experiment where they both personally tested strategies for establishing a healthy work-life balance During the program “Managing to Manage: Strategies for Both Extroverted and Introverted Managers Who Feel Overworked and Overwhelmed,” the pair shared their strategies for reducing stress in their lives they engaged in a series of pre and post-tests to better understand their personal stressors Checkout the pre and post-tests Tureen and Melilli completed here: Melilli and Tureen tried several wellness concepts Would engaging in the wellness techniques outlined above really make a difference The pair developed individual criteria for each wellness concept and used Google Spreadsheets to track their progress They also completed a stress test twice daily (once in the morning and again in the afternoon/evening) and self-reported on the following “stress-related areas”: When Tureen and Melilli compared their pre and post-test results for the Stress Screener higher self-compassion and better rates of not being burnt out Here are some key takeaways from their experiment that are applicable to both introverts and extroverts: By intentionally meditating and exercising regularly and taking self-care breaks and individualizing their approach to each activity Melilli and Tureen reduced their overall stress levels REGINA CARTER is teaching and learning librarian at University of Virginia in Charlottesville and a 2019 ALA Emerging Leader Make no mistake: The American people need to brace for more waves of uncertainty and oppression And in our role as stalwart information warriors we shall hold the front lines of democracy to ensure that intellectual freedom and the First Amendment are held in the highest regard.” American Libraries column, May Marshall Breeding writes: “The library technology industry showed its maturity in 2024 Businesses have become increasingly stable and robust products delivered rich functionality But decades of consolidation have created a narrower slate of competitors resulting in a smaller number of products available for each type and size of library The marketplace is seeing more specialized solutions but fewer options Companies continue to tailor products to the diverging service needs and collections of public Library services platforms designed for academic libraries This stratification further narrows customers’ choices.” American Libraries feature, May AL: The Scoop, May 2 Charlie Osborne writes: “As a professional photographer I know that photo editing software is critical to my workflow to bring out the best in my images whether to make changes to exposure and add bokeh [the aesthetic blurring of out-of-focus areas] or other creative effects Adobe Lightroom is the gold standard for many photographers but many alternative online photo editors are also excellent options We have a great selection of options for you to test out depending on your online photo editing needs.” ZDNet, Apr. 28 Veronica Fu writes: “At first glance, libraries might appear to be unaffected by Trump’s tariffs. The official list of exempt items released by the White House includes [printed books] But the reassurance this offers libraries is limited For libraries that depend on international vendors to supply books the ripple effects of Trump’s tariffs could include disrupted shipping routes and a growing pile of administrative red tape this is a moment in which libraries must lead with intention.” Katina, Apr. 24 Jennifer Peterson writes: “In my time as a youth services librarian I visited with thousands of school children each school year in the fall and spring months to promote books Here are my top five tips I can offer as you get ready to promote your summer reading program to students this spring.” ALSC Blog, Apr. 26 Hannah Weinberg writes: “This week marks 100 days since President Trump’s January 20 inauguration. It has also been approximately 45 days since Trump signed the March 14 executive order that called for stripping the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) down to its ‘non-statutory and component functions.’ Censorship attempts persist previously granted IMLS funding has been canceled and library staffers continue to make difficult decisions about how to best maintain services for their communities Following is American Libraries’ update on the challenges libraries and librarians continue to fight under the Trump administration.” American Libraries feature, Apr. 30 A publication of the American Library Association © 2009–2025 American Library Association is a licensed CPA in New York and is also licensed to practice law in New York and New Jersey With over 22 years of accounting experience she’s spent five years of public accounting and has also run her own tax and accounting practice as a sole proprietor Make sure you're getting it all Accounting Today is a leading provider of online business news for the accounting community We are sorry that you will not be attending the event stages “Mangiare il mare” (Eating the Sea) with visual artist Luca Trevisani The sea of the future is empty of fish: people thus find themselves exploring the boundaries of what they are used to fishing we see a kitchen-pantry that can extract the flavor of the sea with broths and gravies based on invasive species that have supplanted the ones we currently know even stones become resources of taste and nourishment now confined to the margins of our culture become instead a crucial ecological resource The installation represents this point of view: with algae set on mirror-finish steel structures and totems built with rocks and crabs The presentation/talk will give a sneak peek of the upcoming issue of the magazine The focus will be on themes such as the value of forgotten sea things as food the history of broths as the basic ingredient at the origin of restaurants as we know them now and the symbolic value of water-food that can take on any possible flavor Taste Experience with Tommaso Melilli 9:30am - 12:30pm4:30pm – 6:00pm He has a recipe column in Venerdi di Repubblica his latest book is I conti con l'oste (Einaudi 2020) and he is on the editorial staff of the magazine l'Integrale.  In his works the historical characters of sculpture are questioned or even subverted in a relentless investigation of matter and its narratives His multidisciplinary practice has been exhibited internationally in museums it is hard to imagine a restaurant less suited for a pandemic than the breastaurant.  People go to chains like Hooters and Twin Peaks for the environment: the scantily-clad "girls," the endless TVs the crowds of people drinking and watching sports While chains like McDonald's and Wingstop have thrived during the pandemic atmosphere is not something you can order at a drive-thru window.  Read more: The pandemic is permanently changing fast food as Wendy's, Burger King, and Chipotle double down on high-tech drive-thrus you start saying 'There's no way these big events will close.' And they started closing," Twin Peaks CEO Joe Hummel told Business Insider both Hooter and Twin Peaks have largely recovered from massive pandemic-induced sales slumps Twin Peaks' comparable sales were only down about 5% to 7% in the third quarter after plunging by 100% when all restaurants closed in March which is expected as the weather gets colder and COVID surges Hooters of America Brands CEO Sal Melilli said the chain reversed its decline entirely reaching flat comparable sales earlier this year when restaurants reopened customers came flooding back as soon as restaurants reopened constrained only by local capacity limitations.  according to the Knapp-Track casual-dining tracker Restaurant research firm Technomic forecasts that casual dining sales in the US will decline by 33% in 2020 "We found that our heavy user had the pent up demand," Melilli said "You usually come to Hooters for the experience Twin Peaks and Hooters emphasized different strategies to surviving 2020 they came to the same conclusion — even a pandemic cannot kill customers' craving for the breastaurant experience.  Restaurants have essentially two options to regain sales during the pandemic: grow their to-go business or figure out a way to make dine-in profitable amid constantly shifting restrictions Twin Peaks' off-premise business was nonexistent The 78-unit chain is somewhat of an industry upstart bringing in $335.8 million in US sales in 2019 compared to Hooters' $858.5 million Twin Peaks has taken on the more established Hooters by leaning hard on customers' experience in restaurants Twin Peaks describes itself as a "sports lodge," with an emphasis on food made from scratch and Twin Peaks Girls in checkered crop tops.  the chain began working on its to-go business The chain needed to figure out a way to make the sports lodge experience work during a pandemic — fast.  Twin Peaks gradually reopened restaurants through May with only six locations closing permanently Twin Peaks Girls donned masks and plexiglass barriers were installed between tables People filled locations to capacity limits eager to watch sports even as games were canceled or rescheduled at unexpected times Twin Peaks spent roughly $1.5 million on expanding outdoor dining into parking lots and another $1.5 to $2 million in patio expenses Hummel said that the chain attempted to capture the vibe of a tailgate reframing the parking lot move as a positive.  and we know that people really enjoy not only our great TVs but also the overall atmosphere," Hummel said.  "Tailgating can have that too," Hummel added it becomes really an event in a parking lot It's just an extension of inside the restaurant."  Hooters also saw customers rush to return to restaurants bumping up against local capacity limitations while takeaway only makes up 5% of Twin Peaks business Hooter of America (HOA) Brands CEO Melilli said delivery and takeaway now account for nearly 30% of the chain's business 30% of Hooter's sales are now sans Hooters Girls.  HOA Brands is the company behind more than 400 Hooters restaurants in 42 states and 29 countries As the most famous breastaurant in the world Hooters' is first-and-foremost known for two things The chain has recently doubled down on selling wings without servers in tank tops by building out its delivery business with partnerships with third-party services like Grubhub and Uber Eats.  with the delivery model and the partners that we have," Melilli said "You try to get into that business when the pandemic hit HOA Brands also had an ace up its sleeve: Hoots a fast-casual chain that the company launched four years ago There are currently only seven locations of Hoots served by workers dressed in t-shirts and polos that cover their full midriff Wings sales skyrocketed across the industry during the pandemic, as customers sought out meals that hold up through delivery and takeout journeys The wings boom helped inspire Hoots' expansion plans with franchisees slated to open 17 more Hoots in 2021 where you're going to be waited on and you wanted that atmosphere the Hooters business came back equally as strong," Melilli said "But if you were still hesitant or perhaps didn't want to leave the house you're able to still get your food delivered state and city orders that limit capacity and ban indoor (and in some cases outdoor seating is no longer the fix that it was this summer and early fall.  doesn't mean 2020 is behind us and the pandemic is over," Melilli said.  Roughly 110,000 restaurants across the US have permanently closed since March according to the National Restaurant Association More closures are guaranteed if restaurants do not receive aid from the government "No restaurants can survive long-term at 50%," Hummel said "We're anxious to get past these 50% and 25% capacities and alcohol restrictions and all the different restrictions that are put on by all the different communities No restaurant is really set up to succeed that way."  Unlike many restaurants — especially independents — that may not make it through the early days of 2021 Twin Peaks and Hooters are already looking towards a bright Hoot's expansion is likely to outpace Hooters' growth in 2021 Twin Peaks has been opening locations during the pandemic and plans to open 10 to 15 new restaurants next year.  Both CEOs said diners are eager to return to restaurants as soon as they possibly can most customers want nothing more than to relax with a beer and some wings soaking in the ambiance at their chain of choice.  Sebastian is paraded on a flower-filled float down city streets the culmination of a two-mile pilgrimage from the cemetery in Middlefield to the Renaissance Revival church on Washington Street in Middletown The passionate journey is made by barefoot parishioners of St the sister city to the Italian city of Melilli the great-granddaughter of artist who sculpted the marble statue that stands outside St has an exhibit at Ursel's Web Gallery and Frame Shop in Middletown work inspired by her travels abroad to discover her ancestral roots Favreau is an award-winning oil painter who came to Middletown at age 6 and grew up on Hotchkiss Street near St "smack in the middle of the Anninos and Marcheses," she says graduated from the public schools and now lives in Westbrook Little did she know then how important it was that Sebastian G who moved to Ferry Street at age 33 in 1904 with his wife and three daughters sculpted the statue that stands to the east of St she thought little of the parade stopping by their three-home family "compound," on Hotchkiss Street one of the early residents of our city and a self-taught artist was offered the position of official artist of Melilli but turned down the job to emigrate to Middletown "They wanted to keep him in town," Favreau said He eventually found work as a stonemason at Pierson and Co It's funny to think about it now, Favreau said, but she always considered herself a little French-Canadian girl as her paternal family came from Montagne, Canada It wasn't until later in life when she began exploring her own genealogy that she became interested in her Italian side Favreau and her husband traveled abroad to her maternal great-grandfather's homeland "I took a bunch of pictures and did three paintings from the trip It seems like it just grew on me and now it has become an obsession," she said of painting from these photographs They flew in to Rome and traveled down the eastern coast "it was behaving itself then," Favreau said She was on a mission to find out why her great-grandfather left Melilli and came to the city in America Favreau met a teacher Sebastiana Corvo LaBella who had written the preface to the book, "Arrivaderci Melilli, Hello Middletown" by James Annino through hard work and a strong sense of community created a sister city to Melilli here in Connecticut in a neighborhood east of Main Street near the river When her great-grandfather died in his late 80s still living in his Hotchkiss Street neighborhood the parade still visited around her childhood home in honor of him and his contribution to Middletown history The visits began with Marchese could not longer participate due to his age The spectacle of parishioners clad in white with red sashes, carrying roses and chanting, "E Chiamamulu Paisanu! Primu Diu E Sammastianu!" which, translated to English means, "He's one of our own! First God and then St. Sebastian," began in the 1980s after Middletown was named Melilli's sister city "No one ever screamed or shouted in the church or streets back then My dad and I were in church when we first heard the Nuri in the 1980s We were pretty shocked at the religious fervor!"    Favreau is primarily self-taught in the arts She took classes with local artists to hone her painting skills and now belongs to the Art Guild of Middletown Arts and Crafts Association/Gallery 53 of Meriden and is an elected member of the Clinton Art Society and joined of the Maple and Main Gallery in Chester in November Favreau has won a best in show at Wesleyan University's Zilkha Gallery on a pastel painting She has sold paintings to private collections around the United States She recently sold two oil monotypes to Baystate Hospital's new Heart Vascular Center in Springfield and has a painting in the Permanent Collection of the Westbrook Public Library Favreau encourages anyone who's of Sicilian descent or a fan of the annual pageant to stop by for a look cheap way to travel to Italy without spending the airfare." "Suddenly Sicilian," paintings of Melilli and Eastern Sicily by Favreau, is on view at the gallery at 140 Washington Street through the end of February and the eight paintings are for sale For the latest on all things Middletown, subscribe to our newsletter, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. December 15, 2020 by Cherryh Cansler — Editor Although the pandemic has wreaked havoc on restaurant expansion plans all over the world, Hoots Wings — a fast casual spinoff launched three years ago by Hooters CEO Sal Melilli — doesn't belong in that camp In fact, Melilli, who called it an "exciting time to open locations," has not only opened three Hoots during COVID-19 but also announced last week the launch of a franchise program He said both decisions were a testament to the concept there is a growing demand for chicken wings and it is as a good an opportunity as any to expand and open franchises," he told FastCasual Hoots came back very quickly and robustly because of the very model of the concept." That concept — even pre-pandemic — focused on off-premise eating through pick-up and delivery "Based on the nature of the model and the demand for our product mix through delivery we came back faster than most restaurant concepts," said Melilli who is also a longtime Hooters licensee in Chicago Hoots has three company-owned locations in the Atlanta area as well as four licensed locations in Illinois and Florida "Hoots Wings is inspired and backed by Hooters which results in franchisees getting access to a great leadership team who have proven they can lead a franchise to success The cost to invest Melilli said the overall investment to open a Hoots will vary depending on the area — suburban vs as well as if the buildout will be within an existing restaurant space or is new construction "The one thing that is consistent is that initial franchise fee is $30,000 and every franchisee will pay royalties on an ongoing basis," he said "(Franchisees) are joining a segment that is growing exponentially chicken brands are some of the few restaurants thriving during the pandemic and Americans are eating more wings than ever before." Cherryh Cansler is VP of Events for Networld Media Group and publisher of FastCasual.com She has been covering the restaurant industry since 2012 The Kansas City Star and American Fitness magazine Connect with Cherryh: Get the latest news and resources from Fast Casual. The Swiss artist Christoph Büchel is returning to Venice four years after launching his controversial mosque initiative in the lagoon city Büchel will show the shell of a ship that sank between Libya and the Italian island of Lampedusa on 18 April 2015 Tragically, only 28 people survived after the fishing boat collided with a Portuguese freighter. The project, entitled Barca Nostra, is part of the 58th International Art Exhibition (11 May-24 November) organised by the artistic director, Ralph Rugoff the Italian government recovered the shipwreck in June 2016 transporting it to a NATO (The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) base in Melilli in Sicily where personnel from the Italian navy identified the bodies trapped in the hull of the ship the Italian government handed over the boat to the commune (municipality) of Augusta A press statement for Büchel’s project says: “The public exhibition of Barca Nostra at the Arsenale—in the context of the cultural spectacle and economic operation of the Biennale in Venice a city based on migration that feeds the machine of its own destruction through mass tourism—opens up the possibility of actively using the collective shipwreck Barca Nostra as a vehicle of significant socio-political Büchel continually explores the issue of migration. In 2017, he constructed a refugee camp at S.M.A.K. (the Municipal Museum for Contemporary Art) in Ghent, Belgium, which resembled the infamous former Jungle site in Calais. The artist is known for his multi-layered, often controversial installations. In 2015, he set up a mosque in Venice in the former Catholic church of Santa Maria della Misericordia located in the Cannaregio neighbourhood. But the project, Iceland’s official contribution to the Venice Biennale, was closed in May 2016 by city authorities after being open for only two weeks. The mosque remained closed after a Venetian court declined to fast-track a motion seeking its reinstatement. news21 April 2021Christoph Büchel’s controversial migrant boat finally returns to Sicily after 2019 Venice Biennale display The vessel was on loan from the town of Augusta which intends to turn it into a memorial for the hundreds of migrants who died on board in 2015 As Mahmoud's phone camera surveys streets lined with Italian rationalist interwar buildings it appears as if he is driving through Rome But when a mosque appears around the corner The video footage is part of artist Martina Melilli's documentary My Home We never see his face because in the documentary Melilli communicates with him via WhatsApp.  The other main characters are Melilli's grandparents Born in the 1930s when Libya was an Italian colony they lived in Tripoli before they were forced to leave the country in 1969 Filming her grandparent's home near Padova in Italy Melilli identifies a map of places belonging to their past in the Italian neighbourhood of Tripoli built during Italy's fascist era (1922-1945) She then asks Mahmoud to film these places as they look today bringing us into a country riven by conflict and violence since 2011 and not easily accessible for Europeans 'I saw how the colonial past of my family was also crossing a dark period in Italian history a time which is never discussed in the public sphere' Their relationship grows through the internet as the two start sharing their preoccupations and their inner worlds We quickly see how the film shortens the distance between two radically different lives.  I watch Rai 1 everyday," Mahmoud says at the beginning of the movie referring to the leading channel of Italy's state TV broadcaster Later he laments the end of an era when different religions and nationalities lived side by side I need to see the same Tripoli it was in past The prime motivation for Melilli to start My Home Libya was to understand her own identity and define an extended sense of belonging it is a much deeper concern than about being an Italian or European In 2010 she was in Brussels as an Erasmus student living in the Turkish-Moroccan neighbourhood: "Every morning I used to go to get my mint tea from this man who always talked to me in Arabic," she says "One day I finally told him I couldn't understand what he was saying He answered that from 'my eyes' he could bet I was 'one of them'." Melilli was spurred to explore her own family history to find some answers Soon this led her to think about the bigger questions of Italy's role in Africa as a colonial power. "I saw how the colonial past of my family was also crossing a dark period in Italian history a time which is never discussed in the public sphere." it all started with Tripolitalians (2010) a multimedia projects she composed from an archive of tales and documents from the former Italian community in Libya living in Tripoli from the 1930s to the 60s The project was followed by two short films According to Melilli grandparents' recollections Tripoli was a beautiful and international city where Arabs and Italians lived side by side in harmony.  The Italian colonisation of Libya began in 1911-1913 a process which continued in a brutal campaign against local resistance forces through the 20s and early 30s In these wars we see the first concentration camps aerial bombardments and chemical weapons used against civilian populations in North Africa.  "My grandfather was born there in '36 when it was all institutionalised so my grandparents didn't see all of this," explains Melilli and from an Italian perspective there was a pacific coexistence 'I need to see the same Tripoli it was in past but all colonial powers were there to take advantage of the oil resources of Libya also in terms of the jobs and roles Italians and Libyans had in that kind of society." Central to the film is the story of the Italian colonial experience in Libya as it is told by Melilli's grandparents. They left soon after Gaddafi seized power in 1969 when thousands of Italians were expelled by the Libyan colonel's revolutionary regime our friendships and everything [in Tripoli]," says Martina's grandmother in the film Although there are historians from both countries who have explored this period such as Angelo Del Boca and Anwar Fekini (nephew of the resistance fighter Mohamed Fekini) it is an era which has yet to be fully discussed and digested by Italians and Libyans alike Such gaps in historical understanding have been the subject of research for Libyan journalist and filmmaker Khalifa Abo Khraisse His grandfather was one of the fighters who resisted the Italian occupation and was rewarded with a freedom fighter medal of honour during Gaddafi's time At the Libyan National Center for Archives and Historical Studies formed in 1977 under the name the Libyan Jihad Research and Studies Center Abo Khraisse found resources to explore this era One reason for this lack of a solid local historiography is due to the fact that most of Libyan history was told orally.  "My father used to say almost no story was without poems and stories without poems are often less trusted," he says the most important things and the source of their pride are the horses and the poetry." Another reason lies in the education system. Abo Khraisse says only a partial history was taught to recent generations in Libya because of what he calls the "historical compression" by the Gaddafi government which focused on the struggle against western colonialism "The discussion of contrary facts wasn't available and even forbidden This has created a gap in knowledge between the generations this is one of the reasons that helped to shape the rise of populist movements and extremism and groups promoting themselves as the defenders of historical honour the discussion is dominated by those who are not interested in understanding the complexity of this history." He is worried by the fact that those who witnessed the history of Libya before 1945 are passing away what happened during that time will be forgotten: "Without voices who can speak about that era from personal experience The only source we have is the story as the old regime told it." Abo Khraisse is convinced that against a picture of Libya as a place of only violence and war to create an awareness that the other lives in societies like ours Abo Khraisse participated in the writing of a play Libya a project born from the personal research of Italian actress Miriam Selima Fieno into her Libyan origins and turned into a performance by the Italian theatre company La Ballata dei Lenna She started collaborating with Abo Khraisse after having read his articles.  Recently presented at the Romeuropa Festival in Rome this multimedia piece tries to connect present and past Libya as well as encounters with three characters based in Tripoli These are Salem - Miriam's Libyan cousin - Haidar Selima Fieno's research was similar to Melilli's to relocate all the places described by her grandfather who was sent to Libya during the Mussolini era and married a Libyan woman Abo Khraisse liked the idea and started helping the theatre company to find out more He transferred the old names of the streets to their modern names This rich line of communication that they managed to establish allowed them to compare the current situation of Libya against its past and to highlight the relationship between Libya and Italy.  While Abo Khraisse's research as a filmmaker and writer blends Libyan local history and modern chronicles with personal memories Melilli's documentary was almost exclusively personal her film has been criticised by some for not tackling the hard questions of history.  Melilli says she started out with a view that condemns colonialism and its crimes yet found in talking to her Libyan opposite that his perception of this history was different.  "Both in talking with my grandparents and Mahmoud I talked with people who lived a specific experience in time In the beginning of the movie she tells Mahmoud about the harm that the Italians have done in Libya: "But in the moment Mahmoud's version is a different one from mine what rights do I have to push in a direction that I have myself decided It won't be ethical on a professional level I can't impose my original idea only because it is more ethically correct in regards to the facts I intended to tell." Another Italian artist to tackle the subject of his country's colonialism in Libya is 43-year-old Florence-based Leone Contini in his 2017 multimedia art-meets-anthropology exhibition "Bel Suol d'Amore – The Scattered Colonial Body" While he also begins with personal histories Contini's approach was different from Melilli's as he insists on the agency of the artist in taking colonial responsibilities on his shoulders He believes that the cultural practitioner should "deconstruct from the inside" the dynamic that brought racism and colonialism to Libya Contini's "Bel Suol d’Amore" mostly focused on Rome's museum collections and archives as well as the memories of the artist's own grandmother "My great-grandparents arrived in Libya in 1931 at the very violent time of the insurgency in Cyrenaica," says Contini "The 30s were the peak of fascist violence, followed by the war and the pogrom - which my grandfather also saw." In 1930, the Italians forced 100,000 men, women and children from Cyrenaica into concentration camps 60-70,000 of the prisoners are believed to have died After the war, a pogrom targeted the Jewish community of Tripoli are very different from those of Melilli's grandmother as well as regarding the general environment of Libya." Contini's grandmother was a witness to the events that followed the so-called "pacification" of Tripolitania in 1931-1932 by Mussolini's top military officer in Libya known as the "Butcher of Fezzan" for his actions in Cyrenaica She had a different sensitivity from many other Italians I have talked with in my research," says Contini "Perhaps they didn't see or register many things – details like beheaded Arabs brought as a trophy on a jeep by Graziani's 'butcher' Piscopello." The main aim of Contini’s research was to shed light on this dark period of Italian history "Many believe that colonialism is only a consequence of fascism," notes Contini "This is not true because we know that Italian colonialism started before fascism and somehow outlived it." Contini thinks that the most disturbing part of his grandmother's history is precisely this colonialist legacy deeply rooted in the European mindset.  "In the post-war period the Italians were not the owners of Libya anymore but they still kept a sort of apartheid in place," he says "We have a gap in historiography from '42 and '67 as most Italian historians stop researching Libya when Italy stopped having its colonies." Italians couldn't foresee they were about to be kicked out of the country: "It wasn't so hard to see You heard them saying: 'How that could happen Contini found himself handling very disturbing material - such as face masks of Libyans He had to figure out if it was sensitive way to exhibit it.  Without a roadmap traced by other cultural figures about this time in history he worried he would be perpetuating a colonial orientalist and ultimately racist approach This was something he wholeheartedly wanted to avoid.  "I always emphasise that my work goes under 'Italian studies'," says Contini "I don't feel entitled to talk about colonialism; I didn't want to be a white person talking about 'the other' The only thing I could do was to reveal the harm we did I feel I'm not entitled to touch some materials that are inside the museum - only a Libyan artist can." In his putting side to side a picture of his grandmother and a bust of Graziani ("She would have killed me for that!") Contini created a semantic and emotional short-circuit Putting the intimate dimension next to public atrocities he allowed viewers to access two parallel narratives and judge for themselves "With my research I was looking for a catharsis but I stumbled into even more unresolved questions," says Contini there is still a lot to excavate before we get to a point when we can let this go." This article is available in French on Middle East Eye French edition Copyright © 2014 - 2025. Middle East Eye Only England and Wales jurisdiction apply in all legal matters Middle East Eye          ISSN 2634-2456                      UCSB head coach Jax Rosen is putting together a summer collegiate championship meet to give adult swimmers another target for the long course season Carlson has the potential to impact UIC in the 200 free where last season’s top times were held by graduate students Louisville head coach and CSCAA President Arthur Albiero co-led an NCAA Division I breakout session where coaches discussed the marketability of the sport July 25th, 2023 College, NCAA Division I Mid-Major, News CHARLOTTE, N.C.- Queens University of Charlotte Associate Athletic Director for External Operations/Director of Swimming Jeff Dugdale has announced his men’s and women’s swimming team captains for the 2023-24 season and Plasil have been honored with the captain title for the second year in a row Competing for the first time at the NCAA Division I level during the 2022-23 season the Queens men’s swimming team secured titles at the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association Championship and the National Invitational Championship Queens’ women finished third at the CCSA Championship and 10th at the NIC Lange grabbed first-place finishes in the 1650 and 1000 freestyle races while Melilli was part of the women’s 400 free relay team that took first place Dusa secured a top finish as part of the men’s 400 free relay squad while also securing first in the men’s 200 free Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" More from SwimSwamSee All Subscribe to our newsletter and receive our latest updates .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Alban Murtishikkk-salem-state-art-exhibit.jpg The "State of the Union" painting BOSTON -- Curators of the Winfisky Gallery at Salem State University have suspended its "State of the Union" exhibit after students objected to a piece that featured members of the Ku Klux Klan who said the painting was meant to be a social commentary The painting features six members of the Ku Klux Klan against a black background in an empty field There appears to be no legs or torso beneath one of the Klan member's robes The school was first alerted to the student's objections to the piece on Nov which lead to a discussion with 50 students the curator and the artist the following Monday described the conversation as emotional and lively "We would like to apologize to those in the campus community who have experienced distress resulting from this exhibit the piece distressed many students and stirred up strong emotions Reker and Melilli said a guest book was made available to students which provided information about the artist's intent with the piece but many viewers did not know about this resource The curator then put the artists' intent statement right next to the painting Warning labels were also placed around the painting to let viewers know that the exhibit contained content that could distress some people the curators chose to shut down the exhibit "Art is often intended to spark discussion about societal ills but we deeply regret the distress it has caused students," Reker and Melilli wrote Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices A labor shortage and rising chicken wing prices could be a disaster for Hooters but the chain is thriving despite the odds nearly 50% year over year during some weeks this summer But the business doesn't just look good in comparison to the skewed levels of 2020 with customers visiting regularly again," Hooters of America CEO Sal Melilli told Insider He said 2021 sales are up "double digits" over even 2019 numbers surging as high as 10% above 2019 on the week of July 5 and dipping 2.2% below 2019 on the week of August 8 the most recent period for which data is available.  Six new Hoots locations are planned to open by the end of 2021.  "Fast-casual is growing exponentially," Mellili said.  Thanks to already-established relationships with third-party delivery services Hooters was able to easily shift to more takeout and delivery orders but off-premise sales are holding steady even while many COVID restrictions have been lifted.  we survived 9/11 and the 2008 recession," he said explaining he's confident about Hooters' future Do you work at or own a Hooters franchise? Email this reporter at mmeisenzahl@businessinsider.com