Posted on 08/23/2016 7:32:32 PM PDT by RightGeek
BANGOR, Maine — The closing of one of the last two Howard Johnson restaurants in a couple of weeks will mark the end of its fried clam strips, ice cream and other menu staples that nourished baby boomers and leave the once-proud restaurant chain teetering on the brink of extinction.
The slice of roadside Americana will no longer be served up in Bangor after Sept. 6.
For waitress Kathe Jewett, it's the only job she's held since starting work when the restaurant opened in 1966.
"It's bittersweet, but it's nothing to be sad about," the 68-year-old Jewett insisted Tuesday during a break from serving customers. "I've been here for 50 years — and it's time."
The closing will leave only one Howard Johnson restaurant, in Lake George, New York.
[More nostalgia and pictures at the link]
(Excerpt) Read more at wral.com ...
Ahhh Stuckeys and Hojo. As a little tweeter back in 1967 my family took an around the USA travel tailor trip in our 15 foot 1958 Deville. Left So Cal and hugged the South, up the left Coast into Canada to check out Expo 67 in Montreal and so on. Stuckeys and to a lesser extent Hojos were lunch time staples along the road. Almost died on the trail when we plugged into a Louisiana Camp Ground and there was an electrical short. The ground was damp, I was bare foot and I grabbed the hand rail on the Trailor to step up into the trailer. Buzzzzzzz, didn't remember much after that.
They’re clam rolls, and they’re still at Friendly’s. Which is in much better health than poor HoJos.
“Y’know, Nietszche says that ‘Out of chaos comes order.’”
I learned how to swim at a Howard Johnson. I guess I’m old.
The fried “clams” were actually strips of huge ocean clams. One of those would have taken up most of the space on the table.
My mom used to work at the A&P supermarket 2 blocks from my house on the east side of Detroit in the early 70’s in the meat department. She used to bring home delicious bone-in Rib Steaks for my dad to enjoy after a long day as an electrical contractor. I used to gnaw on the bones to get and taste the marrow. Good memories.
Grand Way, Pathmark, Grand Union, Caldors, Korvettes, Service Merchandise, Big Star, Weingarten, UA Cinemas, Grants, Mays.
Anyone remember the chocolate lollipops with a white chocolate face and the character still in dark chocolate?....the HOJO’s were a staple item on route 24 in Massachusetts....just crap now ......multi food onestop KFC?BK?TACO?...whATEVER WITH KIDS THAT COULD CARE LESS SERVING YOU ....sorry bout the caps.
That is so sexist...showing an obvious boy and an obvious girl at the HoJo Soda Fountain /s
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Actually love the cool playset...just mimicking the lefties.
The clam strips were NASTY! Can’t hold a candle to a REAL fried clam. Actually, their food was nasty, but the breakfast was reasonable. Why brag about instant potatoes nostalgically? And frozen peas?
The coffee was fair. Their hotels were dirty, stuff broken down or missing inside. It’s no wonder they went out of business.
Just....huh?
Why?
Friendly’s is still around majorly.
I got my very picky son to learn one more thing to like via Friendly’s when he saw me eating something fried.
My 1st underage drinking in an adult beverage serving establishment, and coincidently enough where I observed my 1st wet t-shirt contest as a 19 y.o. sailor in tbe U.S.N., occured in a Howard Johnson’s in Mayport Florida.
I know....shocking huh?
Burger Chef....
I remember them.
I finally went to the famous Crif’s a couple of weeks ago and yes, the hot dogs are actually worth the hype. I just got the plain Crif Dog, a hot dog that actually has pork in it, but there are many toppings and sides.
If you are visiting NYC, I suggest you go at an off hour. Saturday night is too much East Village scene and Crif Dog is jammed.
Gabby Johnson was part owner....the whole menu was written in authentic frontier jibberish
Are they HoJo restaurants, or just hotels?
In Newark, Bamberger’s, Ohrbach’s, Kresge’s, Klein’s, and Hahne’s. In NYC, Bonwit Teller, Ohrbach’s, Altmans, Gimbel’s, Klein’s, and one I can’t think of the name of, right next to Ohrbach’s on 34th Street.
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