Howard Johnson's Restaurants

[HoJofan206]

I wonder (if) someone were to open a new Howard Johnson's restaurant if they would have to pay any kind of franchise fee to FAI or Cendant.  Does anyone really know why FAI just kinda disappeared?  :huh::huh:

[amesman]

FAI is nonexsistant. Its gone. Not coming back. Whoever opened a new restaurant, would have to recieve the rights for the Hojo name, from Cendant.

[HoJofan206]

Does anyone have any of the Howard Johnson (FIA era) restaurant location directories from the 1980's or 1990's.
I beleive the last year the directories were made was 1995.

[dooneyt63]

Somewhere in my archives, I have at least one of the FAI Howard Johnson restaurant directories.  It was on a rack card the same size as a standard travel brochure, printed in the turquoise and orange signature colors.  It dates from the initial days of the Franchise Associates venture.  I also have a similar card that describes the Franchise Associates mission...similar to some of the stuff on their website.  It all sounded pretty good...but the execution went terribly wrong.

[HoJofan206]

Is there anyway you can post a pic of it on here for us to see?  :huh:

[HoJofan206]

I wonder what did go wrong with FIA.  It sounds like in the beginning of the FIA era that about 100 restaurants were still in excistance.  How did they fall so far so fast?  Did they just loose interest?  I thought most people involved had been long time HoJo franchise owners...thus they had a vested stake in the continuation of the company.  :huh:

[amesman]

The problem with FAI was that they didn't try new ideas to meet with the new food markets. They didn't try to upgrade the menu choices, or the restaurants(well, they did somewhat, by putting new dairy counters in place at some locations, the FAI "arch" in some locations, and other things), but it wasn't good enough, and naturally, they failed. Kind of hypocritical is you ask me, seeing as how they sued Marriott for some of the same resaons.

[HoJofan206]

FIA sued Marriott?  On what grounds?  I did not know of this. :huh::huh::huh::huh::huh::huh::huh::huh::huh::huh:

[HoJofan206]

Here are a list of a few states and the cities that I know were home to the last Howard Johnson's restaurant in that specific state.

Illinois--Collinsville
Kentucky--Lexington North
Ohio--Geneva (This was one of the few Mariott sold to FIA)

Does anyone know the last HoJo location in any other states?

[HoJofan206]

Missouri--Kirkwood (2003)
Michigan--Bay City (2005)
Vermont--Springfield (2005)
Delaware--Wilmington (2004)
Maryland--Millington (2002)
Massachusettes--Greenfield (2000)
New Hampshire--Nashua (?)
Pennsylvania--White Haven (2000)
Rhode Island--Middleton (?)
Virginia--Lexington (1999)
Wisconsin--Madison (?)

This is to the best of my knowledge.  If I am incorrect on any of it please feel free to correct me.  Additionally, if you know the last location to any other states please add it to the list!

[amesman]

Originally posted by HoJofan206
FIA sued Marriott?  On what grounds?  I did not know of this. :huh::huh::huh::huh::huh::huh::huh::huh::huh::huh:

That's how FAI got started. When Marriott bought Howard Johnson's in 1985, they started to phase out the Howard Johnson's restaurants. They sold the motor lodges to Prime Motor Inns(later Cendant), and started ethier converting some Hojos into Big Boy or Roy Rogers restaurants, or simply just closing them. Many of the Howard Johnson's franchisees(some of them being original franchisees from the 30's and 40's), didn't like how Marriott was killing the Hojo name, so they sued them for the rights to the restaurants, name, and recipes. From then on until last May, FAI was born.

[HoJofan206]

I had no idea that took place.  So the franchisee's kinda sorta had a "hostile takeover".  Too bad it didn last more than 10 to 15 years.  Now nobody seems to care about the Howard Johnson name.  :no:

[HoJofan206]

Does anyone have any pictures of a 1980 or newer Howard Johnson Restaurant location?  :huh:

[HoJofan206]

My grandma Conger has one of the original 1960's "Johnson Girls" work uniform.  I bet that thing would be worth some money now days.

[HoJofan206]

Any new HoJo news? :huh:

[Zayre88]

Originally posted by HoJofan206
Does anyone know if the HoJo frozen foods are still being sold in grocery stores up north/east? :huh:

Sale Flyer for Shur-Fine Food market - sept. 5


HoJo Fried Clams on sale !

[HoJofan206]

The fried clams are gonna outlive the actual restaurants!!

[HoJofan206]

Does anyone know if the Springfield VT location is still standing?  And if so, has anyone taken any "final" pics of it?:no::holysh::no::no::no::no::no:

[dooneyt63]

Anyone know anymore about the fate of the Waterbury, CT Howard Johnson?  It seems the business and real estate are for sale.  It was my understanding that the proprietors had a lease through 2008 and were intent on staying the course.  This is the most Howard Johnson-like of all the Howard Johnson restaurants still open.  Of the current 5, only 4 really operate regularly.  The Asbury Park, NJ, store has irregular hours and seems to mostly serve alcoholic beverages.  The closing of Waterbury (let's hope not) would leave only 3 regular Howard Johnson restaurants and the odd Asbury Park location.  Where are the white knights?

[HoJofan206]

The owners of the Waterbury location claim that they have no idea how that internet listing of the restaurant came about.  The listing has since been pulled from the web sight, but as Rich Kummerlow mentioned on his sight www.autoage.org anytime strange news like this pops up, it usually has some ring of truth of it to the doom of the location down the road.

[HoJofan206]

I also agree with you that Waterbury truely is the last authentic looking Howard Johnson location.  Ashbury pretty much really isnt a HoJo anymore, but rather just still carries the name.  Bangor Vermont has been remodeled to the point it doesnt even look like a Howard Johnson's at all.  Both locations in New York state have been altered too so that they do not look like a true Howard Johnson's location.

[HoJofan206]

Does anyone know if the Key Largo Howard Johnson's restaurant still excists?  I know the owner of the restaurant had worked out a deal to use the Howard Johnson's name even though he didnt serve HoJo food fair.  Just wasnt sure if it was still called a Howard Johnson's or now.  :huh::huh:

[HoJofan206]

OOPS!!  I meant Bangor Maine, not Vermont :insane:

[HoJofan206]

Nobody has any HoJo news to post?  Anything? :huh:

[amesman]

going to Waterbury tomorrow, if anyone cares about that...hehe :)

[HoJofan206]

Let us know how your trip to Waterbury goes.  Hopefully you will get some info about the potential sale (or not sale) of the building.

[HoJofan206]

Also, let us know if they are still serving items for an original Howard Johnson's menu. :kissyou:

[HoJofan206]

Check out the front page of this web sight www.autoage.org
He has posted pictures of the destruction Katrina caused to the Biloxi Mississippi former HoJo restaurant and lodge.  The amount of damage is hard to immagine. :no:

[amesman]

Ok, just got back from Waterbury. The only original food they serve is the ice cream, and the have the Mac and Cheese down pretty good, but its not actual Hojo Mac and Cheese. Also, the building for sale rumors are untrue. Apparently the realitors made a mistake or something. The interior(except for the dairy bar area) has been remodeled to give it a "diner" like feel.

[HoJofan206]

Do any of the remaining 5 locations serve authentic HoJo faire?  I think Springfield was the last that actually did. :no: