1965-66 AAA Tourbook: page 355
 
Brochure circa 1960s: Tim & Tom Bernert collection
 
Louisville-St Matthews, Ky
  --4621 Shelbyville Rd
 

Albert Entwistle, Sr. was the owner & developer of the first Motor Lodge & Restaurant complex in Louisville--he selected its site because the location was to have "high visibility from the future Watterson Expressway overpass." 

The complex was constructed in 1959 at a cost of $750,000 by Dahlem Construction Company, and encompassed 4 1/2 landscaped acres with a pool and playground. The Motor Lodge lost its HJ status in about 1988 and became a Days Inn during the early 1990s.

 
Brochure circa 1960s: Kummerlowe
 
Postcard caption: Howard Johnson's Suburban Motor Lodge, conveniently located in a quit, suburban area of Bluegrass Country, opposite Kentucky's finest shopping center, is just fifteen minutes from Standiford Airport
 
 

Brochure: Howard Johnson's Suburban Louisville Motor Lodge includes many features and facilities, such as a 93 air-conditioned rooms, restaurant with room and take-out service, baby sitting service, and large area for children to play, including swings, ping-pong and shuffleboard. Our spacious grounds enable guests to have many refreshing hours of frolicsome fun. The same management operates both Louisville Motor Lodges.

Above: SWIMMING POOL. Our beautiful, spacious pool is available for your enjoyment, in season

 
 

Above Brochure caption: INVITING MODERN INTERIORS. Various room combinations offer perfect arrangements for a single traveler or for the whole family.

Below Brochure caption: LAMPLIGHTER ROOM. Our well appointed meeting room is available for business groups, receptions and private parties.

 
 
 
Brochure circa 1970s: Kummerlowe
 
Brochure caption: Beef and Burgundy Room At Motor Lodge is St. Matthews Superb dining and cocktails. An atmosphere all its own in an interesting addition to the regular dining room. Featuring fine menu selections including steaks, lamb chops, prime rib, lobster tails and crab legs. Cocktails.
 
 
 

 
 
Photographs 2003: Phil Edwards
 

The longtime HoJo's St, Matthews Restaurant was converted into an Outback Steakhouse in about 1991.

Interviewed by the loacal newspaper in 2001, the site's final owner, Mr. Entwistle, Jr., remarked that people didn't know how pleasant and quiet the motel's setting was. His father, Entwistle, Sr., who died in 1992 at 89, was a founder of the Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau, and opened Kentucky's first HoJo's Restaurant in 1952 at Eastern Parkway and Preston Street. He and his family also ran several other Howard Johnson's in Louisville including the Downtown Motor Lodge & Restaurant, as well as in Lexington--the one at St. Matthews was the last to be a HoJo's in the Louisville area.

In 2001 just prior to the former Motor Lodge's demolition, an auction was held to sell all of its contents. Ten years before that sad event, the former HoJo's street sign was reportedly acquired by a local antiques dealer named Joe Ley.

The former Motor Lodge was demolished in December, 2001 and replaced with a Babies R Us.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Above: Note the blacked out Days Inn sign to the left in the photograph.
 
 
 
Photographs February 2003: Heath Gross
 
 
 

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