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Howard Johnson's: Bay City,
MI |
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HoJomaniacs
UNITE! Dan and I were
able to meet with Cactus Bob, his sister, and mother for a HoJo's
dinner under the Orange Roof. Pictured are (L to R) Katy, Cactus
Bob, me, and Dan. While we all enjoyed the Howard Johnson's atmosphere
and the very reasonable prices, little of the food proved to
be authentic HoJo's. Most disappointing was that neither the
ice cream nor the pancakes were authentic (trust me, once you've
had the real thing, you can tell the difference).
See Cactus Bob's pictures
here |
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| No HoJopalooza is really
complete without a visit to an operating Howard Johnson's, so
it was with much anticipation that we headed north to Bay City!
While the Restaurant is not one that has been continuously operating
as a HoJo's, it was reborn mid-way through the FAI era. Except
for a few years when it operated as an independent and then was
closed, it has been a Howard Johnson's. The complex, opened in
the mid 1960s, has seen a host of changes over the years. The
adjacent Motor Lodge was converted into a Best Western in the
'70s, and by 2001 it had become a Best Value Inn. In 2004, the
former Motor Lodge's existence had become unclear. While it still
used its Best Value Inn signage, it no longer was actually a Best
Value Inn, but instead had taken the name Creekside Inn. Rumors
indicated that the location might undergo a massive stuccoization
to become a Days Inn. |
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Former Arby's: Lansing, MI |
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Former HoJo's: Grand Rapids-East,
MI |
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Having somewhat
satisfied our need to see a real Howard Johnson's, I snapped
a few more pictures before heading south into a strange mixture
of snow, rain, and brilliant sunshine. Backtracking through Flint,
we mapped out a route through Michigan's capital, Lansing. Alas
the city proved to be a bust. No HoJo's remains appear to have
survived, and all I saw of even moderate interest was a former
"Chuck Wagon" Arby's near the Michigan State University
campus. Even Lansing's Motor Lodge, once a part of the Helmsley
Hotel empire, succumbed to the pressures of rising real estate
values. It was demolished and replaced with a Lowes Home Improvement
Center. Undaunted, we rode on with our day's destination in mind--Benton
Harbor, and with hopes of seeing what might remain around the
next bend.
Arby's History here |
Unlike Lansing,
Grand Rapids had remains of both its Howard Johnson's Motor
Lodges. Frankly, East is not much to see, but at least it
exists. However West proved to be well worth the trip. Not
built along an Interstate, it seems like a strange location. Vintage postcard views show it at its
best and that it originally had a Nims-type Restaurant detached
from the Motor Lodge.
See Cactus Bob's site
here |
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Former HoJo's: Grand Rapids-West,
MI |
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Pulling up first into the Motor
Lodge's parking lot, I drove around to the back of the property,
but did not take any pictures. Apparently a renovation effort
was underway, for piles of HoJo's era Landmark Supply room furniture
were heaped near the dumpster. Padded headboards, desks and chairs
all recently plucked from rooms--why hadn't I brought a truck!
If you visit Cactus Bob's site, he has posted a room photo
showing the authentic HJ furniture of the same type that Dan
and I witnessed being discarded. Unfortunately the former
Motor Lodge has not been well maintained, and the Patels running
it were most inhospitable.
For the Restaurant, at some point
near the end of its existence as a Howard Johnson's, calamity
struck. Perhaps there was a tragic fire that resulted with the
original Nims-type building burning down? At any rate, the HoJo's
Restaurant was rebuilt as a non-standard Mansard. Much smaller
than its predecessor, the Restaurant looks to be from about 1980.
By 2004 it had been renamed Casey Stengel’s, and had suffered
minor alterations. Only open for breakfast and lunch, its Orange
roof and original Landmark Supply fixtures and furnishings remained
largely intact.
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Former HoJo's: Battle Creek,
MI |
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Former HoJo's: Kalamazoo,MI |
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Back headed south, a snow squall
caught us by surprise, but even though Dan thought that I should
slow the pace, we hastened to the next ruin! Battle Creek once proudly could boast that
it had a Motor Lodge and Restaurant for the convenience of its
citizens and travelers alike, but today the complex is hardly
recognizable. The Motor Lodge has suffered major alteration with
only a portion of a guest building remaining--no doubt the rooms
do not retain any HoJo-ness. The Restaurant, while it still vaguely
maintained part of its shape, was not a pretty sight. I did not
even properly note what it had become!
Thank goodness for Kalamazoo! At first though, another disappointment
loomed as we discovered no evidence of the Motor Lodge that was
once along I-94. The Country Inn & Suites that uses the Howard
Johnson's address is a completely new structure. Kalamazoo's
Motor Lodge is the only one in Michigan that I have no images
of to post. Not expecting to find the stand-alone Restaurant
that was closer to downtown Kalamazoo, we were amazed to find
it! Angled at an intersection at the base of a hill, the Restaurant
had excellent visibility. Furthermore it was located across the
street from a motel which had once guaranteed that it would not
only have locals but a percentage of the tourist trade too. Alas
its last tenant, Lee's Garden serving Chinese Cuisine, has moved
on. Now vacant, how much longer will the old HoJo's building
endure?
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Former Horne's: Lawrence, MI |
(this is not a Waffle House, but
an independant restaurant called Waffle House of America)
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| In the course of
traveling, it is often easy to spot the remnants of former
chains that emulated or borrowed some of Howard Johnson's
successful ideas. Horne's was such a chain, for it
beckoned travelers to "Look for the Yellow Roof"
the same way HoJo's had us dine under its Orange Roof. Thus,
it used architecture to build a standard and easily recognizable
image. Hornes grew from roadside stands inspired by Stuckey's
into a medium sized hospitality chain with restaurants and
motor Lodges throughout the Eastern United States and parts
of Canada by the late 1960s. |
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Soon after leaving Kalamazoo,
the skies cleared. With good afternoon sun, Benton Harbor was a welcome site even as
a Days Inn and Empire Buffet! It must have been a popular
Motor Lodge and Restaurant. Built immediately along I-94, we
could watch the traffic pass from our second floor room. The
enclosed pool offered another close vista of the Interstate.
This had been a Motor Lodge full of amenities for its lucky patrons--shuffleboard,
BBQ pits, game room, meeting rooms, enclosed all-weather pool,
and Restaurant--what more could anyone have asked for!
Not only is it sited along the
Interstate, but it is also situated on a very large piece of
real estate which has allowed for at least one major expansion
over the years. Once a prime exit, the Howard Johnson's had a
Holiday Inn and a Hilton as neighbors. Later the Hilton became
a Ramada. In decline by 2004, the future for this former Motor
Lodge like so many others is uncertain. The property is still
in reasonably good condition, but today relies on longer term
renters and itinerant workman to keep it in business. No longer
do many businessmen or families stop to be Rest Assured and then
Dine at this former Host of the Highways.
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Former HoJo's: Benton Harbor,
MI |
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Former HoJo's: Benton Harbor,
MI |
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Former Bill Knapps: Benton Harbor,
MI |
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| Just across the
street from the former Benton Harbor HoJo's is a former
Bill Knapps. Founded in Battle Creek in 1948, Bill Knapps
grew into a large regional chain serving road food similar
to Howard Johnson's. The privately held company faltered
and failed when it adopted a plan in 1998 to remake the
company's image. The last 29 Bill Knapps Restaurants were
closed in August of 2002, three months after the company
had filed for bankruptcy protection. |
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