Postcard circa 1970s: John Maimone
 
 Saddle Brook, New Jersey -- 129 Pehle Ave

When opened in February of 1969, Saddle Brook featured a Howard Johnson's Restaurant, a Motor Lodge, and a Red Coach Grill and was described as "one of the finest HJ sites in the United States." The well-sited and upscale Saddle Brook facility was the third complex of its type to have been developed. Boasting of its modern eight story 155 room Motor Lodge, the property was said to be "At the Crossroads" of the Garden State Parkway and Interstate 80 in Bergen County just 10 minutes to the George Washington Bridge," and exceptionally convenient to New York City.

Each guest room featured a balcony, and initially the Motor Lodge offered a "complete co-ed supervised health spa." The site was said to offer well-designed function rooms for conventions, meetings, and social gatherings. Food was served from either the Red Coach Grill or the Howard Johnson's Restaurant and was delivered via an innovative open elevator called a "levelator."

Below: Saddle Brook's Red Coach Grill was smaller than most and emphasized its Cocktail lounge which was described "as something special. An open-hearth charcoal grill is a great guest attraction and a waitress convenience -- the girls pick up right at the grill."
 
 
 
Howard Johnson's Landmark April 1969 p. 1
 

Above: Located between the A-frame Gate Lodge and the attached Nims-type Restaurant was the Red Coach Grill

Below: The attached Nims-type Howard Johnson's Restaurant offered seating for 138 Hungry Americans.
 
 
 
Brochure circa 1980s: Dan Donahue
 
Lobby card circa 1983: Dan Donahue
 

By 1978 Saddle Brook's once well-regarded Red Coach Grill had been converted into a large cocktail lounge. Meanwhile its connected Howard Johnson's Restaurant remained until about 1983. Then the Orange Roofed eatery was gutted and expensively remade into the short-lived and ill-conceived Bumbershoots restaurant--a concept which management thought would "save" Howard Johnson's.

Below: Efforts to remake HoJo's rendered it into nothingness--expanding Saddle Brook's office or function space, the site had lost its signature A-frame Orange Roofed Gate Lodge by the early 1990s.
 
Howard Johnson Oct. 1, 1991 - March 31, 1992 Directory
 
 
Bing Maps captured 2010
 
Remarkably, Saddle Brook's high rise Motor Lodge retained its Howard Johnson name until about 2002. Perhaps too well-maintained to carry on as a HJ, the property's owners unsurprisingly abandoned the Howard Johnson brand and the site became a Radisson. As of the summer of 2010 the site flew the Holiday Inn banner--showing HI's last use of its "Holiday Inn" now classic font. 
 
Photographs June 2010: Phil Edwards
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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