| Photographs circa 1977 |
Lynbrook,
New York -- Sunrise
Hwy @ Scranton Ave |
Opened in 1939 just in time for New York's first World's Fair, Lynbrook was a classic neo-colonial. The unit survived for nearly forty years despite the hardships imposed by WWII, the oil shortages of the early 1970s, and several economic cycles. However it did not survive the tragic fire seen in the carefully restored photographs reproduced on this page. Luckily for the citizenry of Lynbrook, strong demand by them for Howard Johnson's justified a restaurant in the area. In the process of building the new location, the Company announced that the unit would serve as a new prototype for the chain! Above: Forced to abandon their meals, patrons and curious onlookers observed the Lynbrook Volunteer Fire Department in action--alas despite the firefighter's valiant efforts the grand neo-colonial was lost. |
| Architect's rendering circa 1977 |
Featured in Corporate publications, the new Lynbrook Restaurant was opened in 1978. It put forward a new design which was touted as a prototype. Unfortunately the attractive and functional unit at Lynbrook was the prototype that wasn't, for it was apparently the only one of its type to have ever been built. Below: Prototype Howard Johnson's restaurant in Lynbrook, new York showing the new coffee shop area which has replaced the fountain area [Dairy Bar] found in older restaurants. |
| Howard Johnson's Annual Report 1978: page 5 |
| Aerial view © Microsoft Corp. |
| Above: By the 2000s, no trace of any Lynbrook Restaurant remained and its site came to be occupied by a car dealer. |