https://www.huffpost.com/entry/last-howard-johnson-closes_l_629858a1e4b0
5fe694f07ecd

The Last Howard Johnson's Restaurant In America Is Officially Closed

It was once among the nation's biggest chain restaurants.

By Ed Mazza
Jun. 2, 2022, 05:28 AM EDT | Updated 7 hours ago

The last Howard Johnson's Restaurant in America has closed.

The location in Lake George, New York, was for a number of years the
final outpost in what was once one of the nation's biggest restaurant
chains, with a history going back to a single location in 1925. That
one, in Quincy, Massachusetts, was described by the company as a
"small, orange-roofed soda fountain." Eventually, the look included the
signature cupola with a Simple Simon and the Pieman weathervane on top.

All of those elements can still be seen on the location that shuttered
this week.

"When the motorist spotted a Howard Johnson's, he knew exactly what to
expect," the RoadsideFans website noted. "With standardized menus and
building designs, a Howard Johnson's miles away felt as familiar and
comforting as the one back home."

At one time, the chain had about 1,000 restaurants -- many run by
franchisees -- including three iconic locations in the heart of Times
Square along with numerous motels. However, the company fell on hard
times in the latter part of the 20th century, with multiple ownership
changes, franchise disputes and corporate breakups. Many locations were
shuttered and the final Times Square location -- just below a strip
club -- closed in 2005.

The unofficial HoJoLand offers a more detailed history.

Most of the other locations fared no better, with the chain fading out
as locations closed. The second-to-last HoJo restaurant shut its doors
in 2016.

The Yelp reviews of the Lake George location suggested that the
restaurant hadn't exactly been at the top of its game in recent years.
One called it "a shell of its former self," while another said the
"place has been going downhill for years."

"If you come here expecting those nostalgic memories to come back, you
will be disappointed," wrote one reviewer.

What was going on behind the scenes was even worse than what was left
of the menu. In 2017, then-operator Jonathan LaRock was arrested, and
more than a dozen girls and women ranging in age from 14 to 43
complained of harassment, including unwanted touching, the Albany Times
Union reported.

LaRock was sentenced to six months in prison and a new operator took
over. In recent years, the restaurant has had inconsistent hours and
extended closures.

The location is now listed for $10 on a local real estate website,
which noted it could be "converted into a large showroom, flagship
store, or used as is."

While the restaurants are no more, the hotels still exist as part of a
different company. Wyndham currently owns and operates nearly 300
Howard Johnson hotels.

A Friend <nope@noway.com> wrote:
> https://www.huffpost.com/entry/last-howard-johnson-closes_l_629858a1e4b0
> 5fe694f07ecd
>
>
> The Last Howard Johnson's Restaurant In America Is Officially Closed
>
> It was once among the nation's biggest chain restaurants.

THE biggest.
It's been noted that until 1965 they were bigger than McDonald's,
Burger King,and another chain I don't recall off hand COMBINED.

> By Ed Mazza
> Jun. 2, 2022, 05:28 AM EDT | Updated 7 hours ago
>
>
> The last Howard Johnson's Restaurant in America has closed.
>
> The location in Lake George, New York, was for a number of years the
> final outpost in what was once one of the nation's biggest restaurant
> chains, with a history going back to a single location in 1925. That
> one, in Quincy, Massachusetts, was described by the company as a
> "small, orange-roofed soda fountain." Eventually, the look included the
> signature cupola with a Simple Simon and the Pieman weathervane on top.
>
> All of those elements can still be seen on the location that shuttered
> this week.
>
> "When the motorist spotted a Howard Johnson's, he knew exactly what to
> expect," the RoadsideFans website noted. "With standardized menus and
> building designs, a Howard Johnson's miles away felt as familiar and
> comforting as the one back home."
>
> At one time, the chain had about 1,000 restaurants -- many run by
> Square along with numerous motels. However, the company fell on hard
> times in the latter part of the 20th century, with multiple ownership
> changes, franchise disputes and corporate breakups. Many locations were
> shuttered and the final Times Square location -- just below a strip
> club -- closed in 2005.

A great deal of blame lies with Marriott,which bought the
chain to convert locations.

> The unofficial HoJoLand offers a more detailed history.
>
> Most of the other locations fared no better, with the chain fading out
> as locations closed. The second-to-last HoJo restaurant shut its doors
> in 2016.
>
> The Yelp reviews of the Lake George location suggested that the
> restaurant hadn't exactly been at the top of its game in recent years.
> One called it "a shell of its former self," while another said the
> "place has been going downhill for years."
>
> "If you come here expecting those nostalgic memories to come back, you
> will be disappointed," wrote one reviewer.
>
> What was going on behind the scenes was even worse than what was left
> of the menu. In 2017, then-operator Jonathan LaRock was arrested, and
> more than a dozen girls and women ranging in age from 14 to 43
> complained of harassment, including unwanted touching, the Albany Times
> Union reported.
>
> LaRock was sentenced to six months in prison and a new operator took
> over. In recent years, the restaurant has had inconsistent hours and
> extended closures.

I wrote an obit here on the occasion of that closure.
> The location is now listed for $10 on a local real estate website,
> which noted it could be "converted into a large showroom, flagship
> store, or used as is."

It's been for sale before...
can a new operator renew rights to the name?

> While the restaurants are no more, the hotels still exist as part of a
> different company. Wyndham currently owns and operates nearly 300
> Howard Johnson hotels.

(They own the brand)

-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

In article <t7bcbm$f7i$1@reader1.panix.com>, Louis Epstein
<le@top.put.com> wrote:

> A Friend <nope@noway.com> wrote:
> > https://www.huffpost.com/entry/last-howard-johnson-closes_l_629858a1e4b0
> > 5fe694f07ecd
> >
> >
> > The Last Howard Johnson's Restaurant In America Is Officially Closed
> >
> > It was once among the nation's biggest chain restaurants.
>
> THE biggest.
> It's been noted that until 1965 they were bigger than McDonald's,
> Burger King,and another chain I don't recall off hand COMBINED.

They were huge, all right. Sometime during the early to mid '60s,
though, people's attitudes about highway travel suddenly changed. It
quickly became less adventurous and much more routine. Perhaps it had
something to do with the rapid expansion under President Eisenhower of
the Interstate Highway System. People just wanted to get where they
were going, and not take the time to sit down for a leisurely lunch or
dinner.

I remember going on vacation about 200 miles from home in 1959, when I
was six, and getting there was an adventure-laden trip via lonely back
roads through strange little villages. We saw lots of deer and even a
bear on the way. We had a meal (probably lunch) in some little town,
and it was a sit-down full-service place. I still remember my folks
saying I could have anything I wanted, but they changed my order
(whatever it was) to a hamburger. Typical.

In article <t7bcbm$f7i$1@reader1.panix.com>, Louis Epstein
<le@top.put.com> wrote:

> > The location is now listed for $10 on a local real estate website,
> > which noted it could be "converted into a large showroom, flagship
> > store, or used as is."
>
> It's been for sale before...
> can a new operator renew rights to the name?

The name is potentially a valuable asset and can be purchased, of
course -- but the question is, *is* it valuable? HJ's heyday is pretty
far in the past now, and I don't see any nostalgia for it. I guess
most of that affection would have been held by my parents' generation,
and my folks would be going on a hundred now.

I have no idea how HJ is doing as an ice cream company. Packaged ice
cream was its strong suit in mid-century.

A Friend <nope@noway.com> wrote in news:020620221834455583%nope@noway.com:

> I have no idea how HJ is doing as an ice cream company. Packaged ice
> cream was its strong suit in mid-century.

I haven't seen any HJ products in stores in ages. My mother used to buy their
frozen chicken croquettes in the '70s. They were OK, as frozen foods go.

In article <XnsAEABAD77484B1080021413@130.133.4.11>, Rick B.
<deepstblu@sprynet.com.aq> wrote:

> A Friend <nope@noway.com> wrote in news:020620221834455583%nope@noway.com:
>
> > I have no idea how HJ is doing as an ice cream company. Packaged ice
> > cream was its strong suit in mid-century.
>
> I haven't seen any HJ products in stores in ages. My mother used to buy their
> frozen chicken croquettes in the '70s. They were OK, as frozen foods go.

Chicken croquettes. I remember those from the early '60s, although I
hadn't thought of them in decades. As you say, they were okay.

A Friend <nope@noway.com> wrote:
> In article <t7bcbm$f7i$1@reader1.panix.com>, Louis Epstein
> <le@top.put.com> wrote:
>
>
>> > The location is now listed for $10 on a local real estate website,
>> > which noted it could be "converted into a large showroom, flagship
>> > store, or used as is."
>>
>> It's been for sale before...
>> can a new operator renew rights to the name?
>
>
> The name is potentially a valuable asset and can be purchased, of
> course -- but the question is, *is* it valuable? HJ's heyday is pretty
> far in the past now, and I don't see any nostalgia for it.

hojoland.com

> I guess
> most of that affection would have been held by my parents' generation,
> and my folks would be going on a hundred now.

In any case,the name is owned by the hotel chain,
and any restaurant or prepared food licensees would
have to be approved by and meet the terms of the
hotel chain.
> I have no idea how HJ is doing as an ice cream company. Packaged ice
> cream was its strong suit in mid-century.

They introduced me to mint chip,
I can name very few others of the
then-famous 28 flavors.

-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

On 6/3/2022 5:39 PM, A Friend wrote:
> In article <XnsAEABAD77484B1080021413@130.133.4.11>, Rick B.
> <deepstblu@sprynet.com.aq> wrote:
>
>> A Friend <nope@noway.com> wrote in news:020620221834455583%nope@noway.com:
>>
>>> I have no idea how HJ is doing as an ice cream company. Packaged ice
>>> cream was its strong suit in mid-century.
>>
>> I haven't seen any HJ products in stores in ages. My mother used to buy their
>> frozen chicken croquettes in the '70s. They were OK, as frozen foods go.
>
>
> Chicken croquettes. I remember those from the early '60s, although I
> hadn't thought of them in decades. As you say, they were okay.
>

They're being replaced. 21st Century version is Buc-ee's.