Hooters' last location on Long Island, in Farmingdale, sold to Bolla Oil

A property formerly occupied by Long Island's last remaining Hooters has been sold to Bolla Oil, with plans for its future still up in the air. 

Bolla Oil closed on the sale of the property and an adjacent parcel on Smith Street in Farmingdale last week for $5.7 million, said Frank Caporrino of Triple Net Brokers, who represented the buyer. The other property is used by Valley Bank, which still has time left on its lease, he said. 

There's nothing planned yet for the former Hooters property, said Sean O'Neill, chief development officer at Bolla. The 0.76-acre parcel is listed for lease on digital commercial real estate marketplaces LoopNet and CityFeet, where it's described as a 10,782-square-foot built-out restaurant or cafe space originally erected in 1972.

"If you look at everything that's going on in Melville, with all the rezoning and development, that corridor will probably do well in the future. With the hospital coming, there's a lot of strategic opportunities," he said.

NYU Langone plans to build Long Island's first new hospital since 1980 in Melville, at 1 and 2 Huntington Quadrangle. The multi-billion dollar project would include a 500-bed hospital, emergency department, ambulatory services and research laboratories, as well as housing for NYU Langone students and employees, Newsday has reported. Experts have told Newsday that the development could transform the area into a major healthcare and business hub, although Melville may currently lack the housing and transit infrastructure to support that growth. 

Town of Babylon records describe the adjacent site used by Valley Bank, 27 Smith St., as a 0.91-acre parcel with a structure built in 1973. 

The Hooters, the last on Long Island, closed in February, Newsday reported. The closure came less than a year after the national chain filed for bankruptcy, citing declining sales as casual restaurants broadly struggled with declining foot traffic. 

The Atlanta-based chain was founded in Clearwater, Florida, in 1983. Other Long Island locations in East Meadow and Islandia closed in 2012 and 2013. 

Bolla Market, under Bolla Oil, has been expanding its presence in the region for nearly 20 years, Newsday has reported, distinguishing itself with food courts and restrooms. The parent company also operates gas stations, auto repair shops and car washes.

There are hundreds of Bolla Markets in the tri-state area, including four in Farmingdale. 

By Brianne Ledda

brianne.ledda@newsday.com@brianne_ledda

Brianne Ledda covers personal finance and affordability for Newsday. She previously covered Southold and Greenport for The Suffolk Times and is a graduate of Stony Brook University.