Hush Puppy Closes at Neonopolis After Just Shy of a Year
The aggressively mid Hush Puppy at downtown’s Neonopolis has closed.
The restaurant opened at Neonopolis on Nov. 18, 2025, in the former Banger Brewing space.
The biggest difference between Hush Puppy and Banger Brewing is people miss Banger Brewing. Awkward.
Hush Puppy lasted 11 months, also known as nine months longer than we predicted.
The original Hush Puppy on West Charleston Boulevard dates back to 1975.
Both locations are what culinary experts refer to as “not very good.”
We found the hush puppies at Hush Puppy to have the same flavor profile as human toes, and not in a good way.
The original Hush Puppy was originally owned by Charlie and Virginia Ghormley, who brought their Southern cooking traditions from Arkansas.
Known for fried catfish, hush puppies, gumbo and other Southern comfort food, the restaurant operated under the Ghormley family for nearly five decades before being sold in 2023 to local businessperson Magdy Amer and his wife, Layla Amir.
Amer was also owner of the now-closed Tex Mex Tequila Bar & Grill on The Strip (demolished by Tilman Fertitta, who turned the space into a parking lot), the demolished Mosaic theater and the shuttered Red Palms restaurant. Amer has quite the track record, all due respect.
Neonopolis has a spotty history with tenants.
Hush Puppy’s neighbor, Heart Attack Grill, closed May 18, 2026, after a nearly 15 year run. The most recent rumor is Bojangles is in talks to potentially take over that space.
The management of Neonopolis is already looking for a new tenant for the Hush Puppy spot, but there’s no news yet.
That front part of Neonopolis gets a lot of foot traffic, which can lead to success if your food doesn’t taste like, you know, feet.
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