Editorials

 
Hooters, the Truth, and Morality
5/11/04

"Respect for the truth comes close to being the basis for all morality."
  ~ Frank Herbert

Hooters has been the talk to town for weeks now.  You would think nothing else has happened in south-west Oakland County reading the news lately.  After three tries, Hooters still hasn't won approval to transfer a liquor license to their planned Novi location.

Some of the logic used in the discussion over Hooters defies us.  It's been said their menu isn't unique.  It's been said there are residences too close to Fountain Walk.  It's been said that Catholic Central High School will be too close.  It's been said their other locations have too many liquor law violations.  Then, Council Member Lorenzo questions their uniforms?

Well folks, we just don't agree with these points.  Who cares what's on the menu?  We aren't menu planners!  Who cares what the uniforms look like so long as they're not illegal.

You know that little ditch called I-96?  Well, it nicely separates Fountain Walk from everything to the south.  And Twelve Mile Road and Novi Road aren't exactly pedestrian friendly.  There just isn't any way location is an issue here -- people can't get to Fountain Walk without a car, safely.

Liquor law violations?  We checked on the Hooters in Troy, Roseville, Sterling Heights and Taylor, courtesy of the Michigan Liquor Control Commission.  Three of the four locations have exactly one violation each, going back 2 to 6 years, for serving a minor.  The Roseville location doesn't have any such violations on record.

Guess what?  Steve and Rocky's in Novi served a minor and got busted.  So did the Fifth Avenue.  So did the Novi Post.  So did the Hotel Baronette. So did the Library Pub -- twice.  So did Grady's in Novi -- three times.  And this is just a few of the places in Novi we checked on.

You can check too -- just click here for the State's official website that details violations for every business in the State of Michigan.

Now obviously serving a minor is absolutely the wrong thing for a restaurant to do.  But, it would appear to us that having one violation on your record is simply a mistake and isn't that unusual.  We simply don't see that Hooter's has a negative trend going here.  One violation in six years at a location isn't a trend.  Three is, folks.

Here's what we said last month.  We believe it still stands today:

So in the end, we agree that Hooters really isn't a good fit for Novi's Fountain Walk Mall.  We also agree that it's not wrong either, and that being said -- it's not our call.  Let Hooters come if they want to.  We the People don't want or need this particular controversy.

"The good citizens of Novi might be Hooters-free for now, but they better be ready to open their wallets. Standing tall against tackiness could get very expensive."
  ~ Tom Walsh,  the Detroit Free Press,
     May 11, 2004

-----------

p.s. - We promise to be nicer to the Road Commission for Oakland County, now that we've seen how badly Wayne County has messed up the south-end of the City.  Working on 7 Mile and 8 Mile at the same time?  Who's idea was this one anyway?

More Editorials