Is State College ready for Hooters?

The owner of Pennsylvania Pizza and John Henry's bar thinks so.

He has submitted plans to the State College Design Review Board for a Hooters restaurant at 538 E. College Ave., just across the street from the Penn State campus.

The restaurant, part of a national chain know for its chicken wings and busty waitresses, would replace the Pennsylvania Pizza restaurant.

Jeff Haas, who owns the property, wants to expand the building and put up awnings with the Hooters logo on them, according to the review board agenda.

The renovation plans also call for moving the bottle shop to the center of the building and adding 20 outdoor seats on a patio along College Avenue. The new restaurant would have 185 seats inside.

Haas could not be reached for comment last night.

Hooters of America Inc., which is headquartered in Atlanta, operates or franchises 250 restaurants.

Because of its name and image, Hooters has occasionally drawn fire from community groups in other cities.

The restaurant's Web site has a page specifically for refuting such complaints.

"Claims that Hooters exploits attractive women are as ridiculous as saying the NFL exploits men who are big and fast," the Web site says.

The review board will look at the Hooters concept plan at their Oct. 10 meeting.

At the same meeting, the board will look at another developer's plan to construct a seven-story student apartment building at 461 E. Beaver Ave.