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Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge and Restaurant St. Paul, Minnesota
Newspaper Advertisement St. Paul Sunday Pioneer Press: September 12, 1965
 
St. Paul, Minnesota -- 6003/3000 Hudson Rd
 

Truly the dawn of a new era in hospitality had arrived with the opening in 1965 of the St. Paul, Minnesota Howard Johnson's complex. Newer and even more modern than the ground breaking Minneapolis location that had opened a couple of years earlier, St. Paul received the highest accolades for its "ultra-modern" facilities and services.

An eight page advertising supplement ran in the local newspaper to announce the property's opening. Most of the ad was printed in FULL color which was seldom seen in newspapers forty plus years ago! Even today printing such an expansive advertisement would be cost prohibitive--St. Paul was a BIG DEAL when it opened!!

 
 

 
 
Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge and Restaurant St. Paul, Minnesota
 

 

Sited adjacent and physically connected to a 3M training facility, St. Paul quickly outgrew its original 'L' plan, and another wing was added with 60 more rooms behind the meeting room section of the Lodge.

Note that the location featured an integrated Texaco Station. In 1966 Howard Johnson's and Texaco formally entered into an agreement where stations were built by Howard Johnson's and operated by Texaco at most of the new Lodges. Moreover patrons had the convenience of using their Texaco credit cards at Howard Johnson's--at the time it was innovative! By the mid 1970s St. Paul's Texaco had been converted into a Sinclair branded service station.
Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge and Restaurant St. Paul, Minnesota
 
 
Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge and Restaurant St. Paul, Minnesota
 
 

 
 
Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge and Restaurant St. Paul, Minnesota
 
 
Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge and Restaurant St. Paul, Minnesota
Modern at the time, Howard Johnson's touted its Rapid Reservation Service which was a precursor to modern hotel reservation services.
 
 
Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge and Restaurant St. Paul, Minnesota
 

St. Paul's sit down registration desk, while perhaps comfortable for patrons, was not adopted by Howard Johnson's, for the traditional walk-up counter was far more efficient.

Note the ultra-modern white chairs!

 
Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge and Restaurant St. Paul, Minnesota
 
 
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