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March 3, 2001: Kummerlowe Archive |
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East
Lyme's Restaurant may have been converted directly from a Howard
Johnson's into a Bickford's without passing go or having had
its owners collect $200. Utilizing all of HoJo's fixtures and
even most of its furniture, the site operated as a Bickford's
in much the same manner as it had while it was a Howard Johnson's--even
its Rum Keg Lounge remained!
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10-29-2005: Kummerlowe Archive |
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Photos
ca. 2000s: Phil Edwards |
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March 3, 2001: Kummerlowe Archive |
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March 26, 2001: Dan Donahue |
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March 3, 2006: Kummerlowe Archive |
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Photo
ca. 2000s: Phil Edwards |
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Above
& Higher: Retaining the feel and many of its familiar
HJ fixtures, East Lyme operated as a Bickford's into the middle
2000s.
Below
& Lower: Closed and empty the former HJ Restaurant
had ceased to be a Bickford's. |
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Photos
October 29, 2005: Kummerlowe Archive |
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Perhaps
converted into and then operated by Marriott until about 1990,
it is unclear who owned it in the end of its HJ days. Having become
a Bickford's by the middle 2000s, that chain's fortunes had faltered.
Bickford's parent elevated menu prices, ceased capital improvements,
and introduced several ill-conceived concepts--all reminiscent
of HoJo's prior to its demise. Attempting to raise average check
totals, Bickford's abandoned its family moniker and began pushing
the sale of alcohol and calling itself Bickford's Grill &
Tavern. Finally by 2006 it had closed all but a few of its locations--a
sad time for HoJo's fans since many of its outlets were housed
in former Howard Johnson's Restaurants. |
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May 2007: Phil Edwards |
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