The passengers, who had left Montreal in the wee hours of the morning, were famished. They filed in, grazed around the buffet, and spoke softly to each other in French. LaRock, who does not speak a lick of it, bustled from table to table, refilling drinks and making small talk.
After the buses pulled out of the parking lot and continued on toward the city, he began to walk around the place, imagining what it would look like in a perfect world, a route I imagine he walks daily.
He has big ideas and big plans, and the vision is always on his mind. Nearly every conversation we had turned to what LaRock would do if only there was a little more money to go around. It was unclear in our conversation if he knew what Yelp is. Instead, LaRock plans to start serving chicken wings, pizza, and beer in an auxiliary dining area in the back. He clicked open the sliding door to that room and stood in the middle, pointing out where the bar would go.
The business builds quickly in his mind. One improvement would lead to the next, and soon, the place would be bustling. Everett Cook is a writer based in Boston. Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. By choosing I Accept , you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies.
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Check your inbox for a welcome email. I even still have a HoJo charm on my teenage charm bracelet. So very many memories and all good. Love both their clams and the bellied ones elsewhere. Always enjoyed the work atmosphere and the way the company was run. Thanks for this great, fun for me, article.
Not many are aware that Jacques Pepin, the famous French chef, worked for Howard Johnson and they were great friends. He helped Johnson with improving the mass production of his foods as the restaurant chain grew.
What a surprise. It is located on RT 20 near Bradley Airport. I ate there about tow weeks ago. We would also go to the H. Remember those? After it closed, the restaurant became The Elephant Bar.
I remember that the restaurant part where you could sit and eat was on the left side of the soda fountain. Lived Somerset PA and both Somerset and Bedford PA had How Johnsons on both sides of the PA Pike and we would park behind the one near Somerset one and walk in the back door and eat all of the time That is where I grew to love the clams, etc Forget this I think Somerset had a tunnel underneath the Pike also between the two or maybe Bedford Had a family friend in Somerset who worked at the Esso gas on thePike knew everyone there.
It was the mid-sixties and some of my classmates also worked there. Ours was more of a local restaurant, many of our guests were from the neighborhood and we got to know them well. That summer was the busiest summer I ever spent, working Sunday mornings alone, covering the dining room but it was the most fun, families coming in after church for breakfast.
They were the best! I started there in when I was 21 years old. I really enjoyed it. I still remember the Hostess, Mrs. Lauwers, she was such a nice woman. I remember the strict dress code.. No nail polish, unless it was clear.. My favorite item was the Corn Bread! I absolutely Loved that corn bread. Whenever I took a break, I would go for a piece of that. I was waitress 2…lol I worked the Breakfast shift for a little while, the Corral and 2 Booths to the side..
I asked for afternoon shift because I had a child at home.. I made really good tips on afternoons.. I got the Banquet Room often, and wow.. Alot of good memories working there.. We moved away in so left the area.
We were packed all the time. Felt bad when I heard they had troubles…sad. Maybe even like a Norman Rockwell Painting. The name is synonymous with a different decade and unfortunately end of an era. My boyfriend worked at the Mobil station across the circle. I remember scooping ice cream after the ballgames and the band concerts until my forearms were black and blue. So many years ago.
Next year my boyfriend and I will celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. On Cape Cod of course. My first job was at the Howard Johnson in Boscowin, N. On Rt. I was 15 and started as a bus boy. It was only open during the summer months and was managed by a teacher and his wife. My first waitress job and when multiple buses poured in it was wild!
I had Am shift and frequently was only waitress as others slept in. We were so busy one morning and I was alone I got left a 2 cent tip! My parents and I always had lunch at one on way to NH for vacation. Sad to see it go…. Grew up in Bangor…had fish fries n grape nut ice cream. Then we went to Florida for a vacation n we stayed in HoJo Motels n had breakfast of Toasties…all the time.
Their quality was something you could count on, wherever you traveled. I miss them very much, especially the little pots of baked beans, and their orange-pineapple ice cream, now very hard to find elsewhere. I knew his children, featured in their ice cream ads; we were about the same age. My grandmother who lived in Ft. Worth Texas would take the passenger train from Ft Worth to Oklahoma City and we would drive over to pick her up….
Sad to see this part our our Boomer history disappear. Now I need a New England trip in my future! Craving clam rolls after my brother and I started discussing them which led to finding this article….
We were caught up in that memory he shared sounded like a scene from American Grafitti! The restaurant I was sixteen and my first job at the restaurant was lot boy. I changed bulbs in the overhead parking lot lights, the old fashioned way, by shinnying the poles with my belt around me and the pole. Never came close to falling. In addition, I made sure the lot was always clean, trimmed the hedges, mowed the grass, and unloaded the Hojo trucks that came in pretty much daily.
The refrigerated truck brought ice cream and pre-seared, frozen New York Strip Steaks and clams. We never ran short on ice cream … or the steaks, which were the most expensive item on the menu. Another truck brought in canned clam chowder and a couple of other soups. The chowder was in gallon containers and required another gallon of milk.
I moved from lot boy to dishwasher and bus boy, then to the kitchen and finally to the soda fountain and assistant manager before joining the Army. Unlike these days, these jobs had actual career progression possibilities. What I learned from my manager about personal interactions came in handy in my military career, especially when handling troops. Our family was scattered around New England while we lived in New York. I always ordered the fried clams — dinner or roll.
I rarely got to have the cone sundae as we took our ice cream to go. My favorite was the chocolate chip because you got both the chocolate and vanilla flavors???? To this day chocolate chip is still my go-to ice cream flavor!
And that Route 84 exit between Hartford and New York would have been my hometown for many years, Southington! The old Ho-Jo was just off the exit and a mainstay for travelers as well as the locals. Great memories — but as a native New Englander, I, too, prefer the whole-belly fried clams; so delicious. My quality of life continues to descend. I have such special memories of going there for chicken croquettes my favorite and a coffee frappe while watching my brother behind the grill.
Only one side had a full service restaurant, but I could get my standard HoJo meal — a hamburger with mustard and relish followed by a pistachio ice cream cone with real embedded pistachio nuts — on either side. But for me the tunnel was a dark and mysterious den of wonder, with echoes not found anywhere else on the planet.
I see it! But the pleasure of being that far into Maine suppressed any negative feelings that the arguing might have otherwise engendered.
I know that serious Maine Magic exists there. Hidden below the roadway are ancient catacombs with unique and amazing sound qualities and mysterious powers yet to be discovered. And you, Gentle Reader, now know it also. It was a tough time for our family, with my mother very ill and in and out of the hospital.
Sadly, I was too young to have learned just how wonderful fried clams are…today, that would be my standing order! My grandmother loved ice cream so she would take us across the street for cones. I always got pistachio. Good memories. Howard Johnsons was a big part of my childhood too.
The fried clam roll was great too although I know prefer fried clams with bellies! Of course we looked at Squantum every time we went swimming. I went to North Quincy High for 7th and 8th grade, then transferred to Thayer.
Nice to read something from someone in the old neighborhood. On Fridays, the Baked Finnan Haddie there was so good, businessmen would take the train from Boston just to have lunch there. It was a famous meal all over the South Shore. Great article. As one reader commented, eating out was a big, big deal for our family of 5 kids. The Lenten all you could eat Fish, and more importantly the Fried Clams, were a wonderful treat. I believe they split off the all you could clam nights, and my Dad and I would put a huge dent in their supply those nights.
Great memories, thank you! Man, the upchucks started about half-past midnight and went until dawn. I felt like rotten kelp. Not quite as much, but I still loved it! Thanks for this great article. As a child often traveled from Attleboro Ma. They always took us there for dinner, We were given the royal treatment by staff which made it special.
Moved to Ca. In the early s I had to fly from California to the East Coast on business. Two of the people I worked with were from New England. The next day I presented my gift to them.
They heated them in a labatory oven and devoured them on the spot, thanking me over and over. It all brings back such wonderful memories of such an innocent time when everything seemed possible.
Reading this story and all of the great comments made me both very happy and sad because of all the great memories. Loved your article.
Miss H. Lucky enough to spend summers on the Cape and always hit the one at the rotary heading for Falmouth. While my younger sister and I indulged in ice cream, my parents always had a fresh cup of hot coffee. My dad loved them so much he even painted the front door of our cottage turquoise blue! On a family trip this fall to Lake George I showed my boys the iconic sign as we drove by…sigh. Thanks for your article and the memories. Loved all the comments too. The very first restaurant I ever went to was in Peabody, Mass I think.
I had never eaten at a restaurant, and I was bedazzled with the booths, the counter, and the wonderful service with women dressed in HoJo colors. It was the only place that my dad believed had good food at reasonable prices. Thanks to Aimee and all who responded for the wonderful, nostalgic trip back to Peabody. Aimee — Thank you for all the fond memories. Fond memories — so sorry to see them go! The fried clams, grilled franks, and 3D burger were all memorable. They had the best onion rings.
My Dad always stopped at the one in Concord for a butter pecan cone. So sorry they are gone. It is surely missed by all that know of it……….. Thanks for the update, David. The Lake George location received so much glowing press in recent years, I had no idea it was now for sale. The most recent news stories I could find from February, , shows the property is for sale, but still operational. Let me know, readers, if you learn something different.
It is still barely operational. The restaurant has been leased to a man who has been running it for a couple years now — unfortunately he was on the news last year being accused of harassment of the employees. No more has come out on that case, and he is still around, but seems to only open occasionally, with little predictability on when that will be.
Oh, this article dredged up many happy memories from my childhood and youth! When I was 8 years old, my family moved to the Panama Canal Zone my father worked for Chiquita bananas. I had two favorite meals: hot turkey sandwich and fried clams.
Once my turkey sandwich came and it was partially frozen. We never did that in North Conway either. Each meal was individually cooked with pots and pans and grill, etc. He said he loved the French Dip! I would love to find out which items Pepin was responsible for adding to the menu. In the morning I awoke to a full on unannounced snow storm. Roads were closed and the place I was staying had no food. After a wonderful truck driver shoveled me out he said I could make it to the Howard Johnsons.
I made it right before they closed the interstate and was greeted by a lovely woman explaining that I should order quickly incase they lost power. That day I met so many great people that were either staying at the hotel or like myself looking for a safe haven I ended up spending the night there but felt safe and protected.
I wish I could return one last time to say farewell. My grandmother used to take me often to several different ones. I do remember the one with the tunnel on the Maine Turnpike. Also, there was one on Route , on the way to the Cape.
I used to get lobster rolls there, and of course, ice cream afterward. My favorite was pistachio. I did not like the clam strips…….. Thank you for reminding me of those wonderful trips when my Nanny and I spent time together.
I am 73 now, and she has been gone a long time. The Mass Pike opened around Another one we used to visit, because our cousins lived there, was in East Hartford, CT. It has the orange roof and everything. It is a restaurant, run privately under another name, but, I heard the fellow who owns it has kept the HJ menu……..
Depending on whether heading north or south, we would go to always go to the one with the sit-in restaurant so we got to go through that tunnel under the highway once per trip! Loved the clam rolls, the hot dogs, good kid-friendly macaroni and cheese, the club sandwich burger and BLT built into one!
I think they were in the Saturday Evening Post at least! When I was young, and my family lived near Buffalo, N. It put us all through college, with the money we earned Summers there, as waitresses! Later, Howard B. And, loved your article Aimee!! Will pass it on to my sisters, and I hope to go to the Maine location before it closes!
Chicken Croquettes,anyone? We my mom, husband and I were in the New England area for the past few weeks. We loved it because of the spaciousness and the great lawn areas. Great memories! It was only open in the late spring through early fall as I recall, and essentially run by high school students with a few older bosses.
We worked hard, but had a lot of fun. What a great place to grow up!!! I can remember the all you can eat fish fries with my family. Another old staple was the dining room at Grants. Does anyone remember that? This was in and we were married 3 years later, and then after 6 more years of school for my husband at Gordon College and Gordon Seminary, we pastored churches in NY and Buffalo, Wichita, KS and Indianapolis.
He bought and renovated the old Hallowell mansion there, his children we were contemporaries grew up there, and he and his wife are buried in the Milton Cemetery.
His offices were in Wollaston, where I lived, and his main food warehouses were in Quincy. Your article about brought me to tears because I miss HoJo so much! My first memory is of eating at the restaurant in Milford, I believe. It is sad that they are all gone except 2. I wish I were close enough to visit one. There is nothing to compare to their hotdogs ah, the toasted buns! Thank you so much for your comment, Trish! What wonderful memories you have! So glad to serve as a reminder.
From I worked on soda fountain. I loved it. I loved waiting on the kids, they loved a show and I would dip the scoop in water then flip it in the air and catch it. The food we served was the best. Most of the customers would come in 3 times a week or more. We had one here in Falmouth, Ma. One of the places I truly miss in my town. Great piece of nostalgic blueberry pie. Promoted to short order cook soonafter. Years later looking back all those garbage jobs fed my drive to strive.
Thanks for the great article as I look out over my pool and across the golf course from my Boca Raton Country Club home. Thanks for writing this delightful piece! But the most fun was waitressing during hi school and home-from-college summers, in LaGrange Pk, Ill.
As of Dec. My recollection was that the Fish Fry was Wednesday nite all you can eat for 99cents …and pushing the piled high cart of fried perch, fries, and cole slaw around. Best part was grabbing a spoon and sampling my way through the large containers of ice-cream as the summer progressed.
Carmel fudge, butter pecan, peach…oh boy! I gladly paid the extra 50 cents so many times in that within the 4 month period of my summer job that I did not desire to order them nor a 3-D hamburger either for a long time thereafter.
He stayed multiple weeks over that year, and the staff were extremely accommodating, and always looked out for him, and any special diet needs he required in the restaurant.
I would really hate to see them close their doors!! There was an Italian veal patty on the menu that I loved as a kid. It was about as far from authentic Italian as you could imagine, but I loved it!
One of my fondest memories though was my great uncle filling out the suggestion card that was always at the table. My favorite memory though was driving ing home to Massachusetts from UConn. I had fifty cents on me. Thanks for writing it. One of the casualties was the big Queens location. The company survived by producing food for the troops. Once the war was over, the American consumer economy came back to life, booming by the early s. While his system evolved and store design was modified, he never stopped paying attention to details and never stopped using big signs and orange roofs with steeples.
New restaurants were opened across the Midwest and the South. The s and s were glorious days for the company. In , Howard made his twenty-six-year-old son, Howard B. Food quality remained high. Again using a combination of company-operated and franchised locations, the roadside inn chain contributed significantly to company profits.
With the opening of a restaurant in Mesa, California in , the chain achieved a coast-to-coast presence. We previously posted the revenue data for the largest foodservice and lodging chains. Howard Deering Johnson retired in , turning over leadership to Bud, and died at the age of seventy-five in Bud continued to grow both the restaurant and lodging chains. Revenues and profits continued to rise in the s.
By , there were company-owned restaurants, franchised restaurants, company-operated motor lodges, and franchised motor lodges. In Food quality began to drop. And just as ambitious. Prices were lower. The same era saw the rise of many new competitors in lodging, as well. Efforts to update the restaurants and motels had little success. And perhaps it is not a shock that that location has low ratings on sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor.
The lodging part of the company has fared a bit better. After several changes of ownership, the inns are now owned by the giant lodging franchise organization Wyndham, branded as Howard Johnson by Wyndham.
As of yearend , there are locations, including in the United States, 69 in China, and 46 in Latin America. If one picks up a travel guide from the s and looks at the highest rated places, few of the restaurants are still tops or even in existence today, whereas most of the hotels are still hotels, under one owner or another. Fads and fashions in foodservice come and go with regularity. As sad and nostalgic as this story might be, it makes us at the American Business History Center even more impressed by those restaurant chains which have survived decade after decade, like White Castle.
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