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| Photograph
copy circa 1967: Courtesy of Mark Ihrie |
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Clothes
Make the Restaurant
Lined
up in the HoJo's second floor Panorama Room, Johnson Girls in
their blue-green and white check uniforms were ready for inspection!
Their now classic uniform was designed by the House of Christian
Dior at the behest of Howard B. Johnson in 1966.
It
is believed that the woman fifth from the left is Mrs. Panas,
wife of the franchisee. |
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| Postcard
circa 1967: Courtesy of Mark Ihrie |
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| Photograph
copy circa 1967: Courtesy of Mark Ihrie |
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Local
dignitaries and politicians including the mayor of Asbury Park
were in attendance as George Panas and his wife hosted a dinner
at their Howard Johnson's up in the second floor Panorama Room.
Panas, third from the right, immigrated from Greece and opened
the Asbury Park HoJo's on the Boardwalk.
Even
as Asbury Park crumbled around him, Panas somehow managed to keep
his remnant of a Howard Johnson's partially open! |
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| Photographs
2003: Courtesy of Mark Ihrie |
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Truly
it is amazing how the Restaurant had never been remodeled. In
2003 Mark Ihrie was afforded a tour which included the Panorama
Room. Note that even the carpet had never been changed as evidenced
by the vintage photos and postcard view. The old Howard Johnson's
had become a 1960s time capsule! |
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| Photographs:
Courtesy of Mark Ihrie |
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Even
the main dining room on the lower level had seen few changes over
the years. Original tables, chairs, the Dairy Bar, and acres of
formica completed the "modern" 1960s feel of the last
restaurant on the Boardwalk.
Note
that the etched Simple Simon and the Pieman mirror had been removed
by Mr. Deblasio's 2003 visit (see last picture on this page).
For years starting in the 1990s, Mr. Panas had been selling off
HoJo's memorabilia. The mirror was sold to a private collector
who has happily preserved the priceless piece of American history. |
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| Photograph
December 26, 2003: Courtesy of Dave Deblasio |
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