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Photo March 3, 2001: Kummerlowe Archive
 

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!


 
Photo 10-29-2005: Kummerlowe Archive
Photos ca. 2000s: Phil Edwards
 
 
 
Photo March 3, 2001: Kummerlowe Archive
 
Photo March 26, 2001: Dan Donahue
 
 
Photo March 3, 2006: Kummerlowe Archive
 
 
Photo ca. 2000s: Phil Edwards
 

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.

 
Photos October 29, 2005: Kummerlowe Archive
 
 
 
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.
 
 
 
 
 
Photo May 2007: Phil Edwards
 
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