There's a bright new bloom under the Arizona sun-and it's not a flowering cactus. It's a new Howard Johnson's restaurant--the first in the state--which opened on July 22. On that date, Arizona--48th state to join the Union--became the 38th for Howard Johnson's.

The new orange roof on the company restaurant is located on West Grand and 103rd Aves. in Sun City a suburb of Phoenix. Sun City, in the famous Valley of the Sun. This retirement community is part of the booming Phoenix metropolitan area where the population is approximately 900k.

Manager Don Anderson talks about the striking beamed ceiling, the wormy chestnut paneling and the exciting new rug design patterned after Tiffany lamps. "Almost all our guest comment cards enthuse about the vivid carpet. Those 'now' shades--magenta,
persimmon, chartreuse, gold, paprika--certainly made a big hit.

Our drapes pick up the same colors and the Tiffany leaf pattern. The architects and interior design department can be truly proud of the fine job they did to please the very design-conscious people in this part of the country.

many guests , familiar with our name when they lived in the East or Midwest, are overjoyed to have their own Howard Johnson's. They're pleased to find the same good food, happy that the burnt-orange color scheme is a little different, just for the the Southwest.

Quentin Lane, director of restaurant operations for the division: "Arizona is now the New Frontier of our Western division--and it all came about just two years after we opened our first restaurant on the West coast."