Clearwater restaurant group licenses Naples taco restaurant

HMC Hospitality Group, the business behind the Hooters name, recently signed a licensing agreement with Tacos & Tequila Cantina, a Tex-Mex restaurant with four locations in Naples and Estero. According to a release, HMC intends to open Tacos & Tequila Cantina locations in Pasco, Pinellas, and Hillsborough counties, as well as expand north to The Villages.

Restaurant owner Kelly Musico, who formerly co-owned and ran the Italian eatery Aldo’s Italian Table & Bar in Naples with her husband, opened Tacos & Tequila Cantina in 2013. Musico intends to continue expanding in southwest Florida, according to a recent article by Laura Lyon of Business Observer.

“Partnering with Kelly and Aldo was a no-brainer for expanding our portfolio beyond the Hooters brand. We share similar company values and are dedicated to offering the best customer experience possible through high-quality food and a fun environment. We look forward to replicating their success throughout the Tampa Bay area and Central Florida, as well as collaborating for many years to come,” said HMC Hospitality Group Chief Development Officer Bill Moore in a press release.

HMC Hospitality Group, which was founded in 1983 as Hooters Management Corp. in Clearwater, owns and operates 22 Hooters Restaurants in the Tampa Bay and Chicagoland areas, as well as three Hoots locations in Chicago. It intends to build its first Tacos & Tequila Cantina site in 2025.

This article originally appeared on Business Observer