Hot-chicken juggernaut Hattie B’s has pulled out of a proposed Germantown location and instead will set its sights on Melrose, moving into the 2222 Eighth Ave. S. building where The Hook was previously housed.

A representative for Hattie B’s confirmed the moves. It will be their sixth restaurant.

Originally, the restaurant was set for the corner of Rosa L. Parks Boulevard and Monroe Street in what would have been the chain’s first built-from-the-ground up operation. But faced with rising construction costs, Hattie B’s began to pursue other options last year. When The Hook closed in November, despite good buzz and a promising fish-centric menu, the partners at Hattie B’s took notice.

“They love the neighborhood and all of the elements of that building and the street presence,” says spokesperson Amy Corley, noting that the deck offered a great space for corn-hole games and outdoor dining. With a year-old kitchen already in place, the space will require significantly less work than the Germantown location would have.

Hattie B’s is in the middle of a furious expansion, rolling out a Birmingham, Ala., location last year and announcing plans for Atlanta and Memphis. This is their third Nashville restaurant after the original Midtown location and one on Charlotte Pike in Sylvan Park.

Members of the Historic Germantown listserv were told on Tuesday that the project that would have included Hattie B's, co-developed by Karl Peters and Leonard Amdur, “as designed and approved by Historic had been cancelled. … Owners have called off the development.” This comes six months after Peters and Amdur nixed plans for a residential portion of the project.

Reed Hospitality, which ran The Hook, has been busy with a new fast-casual concept, but after closing The Hook, they received a number of attractive offers for the Eighth Avenue space. Hattie B’s ended up as the best.

“Three years ago we identified the Melrose Theater as the location for Sinema. The Eighth Ave-Melrose neighborhood was peppered with longtime locally owned restaurants, but there was a need for further investment in building this Nashville neighborhood gem into a destination for locals and visitors alike,” says Ed Reed. “The development of housing and retail over the past several years is due to the effort of many, and we are proud to be part of a movement that both preserves and modernizes the area. Bringing a nationally lauded, yet locally owned, business like Hattie B’s to the neighborhood is something we view as an investment in the future of Eighth Ave-Melrose. It’s a convenient location to serve their many customers, and we couldn’t be happier to have them in this location.”

“Since we closed the doors at The Hook, we have proceeded with plans for the concept we alluded to,” adds Reed. “That concept is still on track, but as we have continued our research and development, it’s become evident that the existing space is not an ideal fit. We are searching for that space, and look forward to announcing plans for the next project.”