#howardjohnson

Afton Hojo

It’s always sad to see a well-known store or restaurant breathe its last breath, and fade off into the history pages of marketing. We have all been witness to the slow, steady death of Kmart and Sears. We recall Circuit City, the once-powerful electronics retailer. We probably have fond memories of Toys ‘R Us, as kids or parents, or both.

And now the last Howard Johnson’s restaurant has closed. It’s a sad day in Lake George New York, as well as for many folks who grew up eating there. May their clam strips live in the collective memory forever.

Perhaps you have seen Howard Johnson motels along the freeways, and are wondering if they are or were ever related. The answer is that they were, but many years ago. The chain started in 1925, and grew quickly in the 1950s and 1960s when car culture took over. Many of the motels featured restaurants as well.

Today, the brand is owned by Wyndham, and is used as a price point leader. No longer does it have the better cachet it once did. And the restaurants, which had dwindled to only a handful this decade, were independently operated. But in the 1960s and 1970s, the restaurants alone were the largest chain in the US, with more than 1000 units.

It was routine for my family to stop at a HoJo’s for lunch, because they were always only a few feet off the highway. Yes, it was a sit-down meal, which meant we weren’t exactly in a hurry, negating any convenience seconds gained by virtue of location. Mom preferred this format over fast food any day of the week, so we just enjoyed our time together.

But nostalgia can only keep a place afloat for so long, and while many time travelers came to the Lake George location to be able to say they did it one last time, it wasn’t enough. As with most businesses that go under, there is a certain losing of relevance that happened somewhere along the journey. Basically, HoJo’s became just another plated diner experience, not much different from Denny’s, Perkins, and others. It may be better than fast food, but not by much.

I bid a sad farewell to a brand that was once part of my family’s fabric, but I do so knowing that life will go on, that new business formats will emerge, and that other existing ones will also die. The goal, as in human life, is to elude the Grim Reaper for as long as you can.

And here’s to Mom for her good taste, and to Dad for accommodating. My brother and I were just back seat occupants, along for the ride. But it was a good ride, just like the one that Howard Johnson’s enjoyed for nearly a century.

Dr “Nostalgia Is My Favorite Condiment“ Gerlich

NYE at Howard Johnson