Wallingford, CT
The orange roof is long gone at this former, 8,500 square foot freestanding Howard Johnson's Restaurant in Wallingford, CT.
The restaurant, like many other former HoJo's, has a unique history. The restaurant was built in 1939, as one of the first HoJo's in Connecticut, at a cost of $50,000 by the BradFair Corporation, owned by Isabelle Bradley and Alice Fair of Framingham, Massachusetts.
It is believed the two ladies at one point lived upstairs in the building. The restaurant was so successful, that the full mortgage of $50,000 was paid off in full within the first year of operation. The restaurant was located on what was, prior to the construction of Interstate 91, the main route from New Haven to Hartford. That unique distinction proved to be a goldmine for the restaurant. Since the route was so busy, criminal activities were also common. In one instance, a burglar broke in through the back door after the restaurant had closed, and robbed the HoJo's as owners Isabelle Bradley and Alice Fair were still counting the days receipts in the upstairs office. Later in the years, when Interstate 91 was built, it took the life out of the Wallingford HoJo's. The unit ceased being a HoJo's, and was later a "Scotch and Sirloin Steakhouse," a auto transmission shop, "China Inn Restaurant," and "FlowerLand Gift Shop," which featured Department 56 Collectibles. Maureen, the owner of FlowerLand found the two, still-intact HoJo's Ice Cream Counter Mirrors upstairs in a dusty storage room. In the 1980's., when the owner called Franchise Associates, Inc., (FAI), the then-owner of the restaurant franchise rights to ask whether FAI wanted the mirrors, FAI instructed her to destroy them. "Like hell," said Maureen FlowerLand's owner. She ended up selling them to a collector for $10,000.00. When FlowerLand purchased,the building, the new owner, Maureen, left it pretty much the way it was inside when it was occupied by HoJo's. The old ice cream counter window, as well as the kitchen space and dining room areas remained. Even the old HoJo freezers were still located in the basement. The building was a treasure trove of HoJo memorabilia, as FlowerLand's onwer also found old menus, waitress receipts, and more, most of which she sold for a few bucks when she decided, due to health reasons, to close her gift shop. Thankfully, the building was spared from demolition as Unique Fitness, did their best in respecting the building's heritage when they undertook a complete (and needed) renovation to the building. In September, 2010, the building became a day care center.
(Sept. 24, 2010) Built in 1939 by Isabelle Bradley and Alice Fair, this classic former Howard Johnson's Restaurant, which has been vacant since the former tenant, women's fitness center closed two years ago, is once again entertaining children like it did when it was a HoJo's. After some minor interior remodeling, the building is now home to a children's day care center.
Scroll down to read the story of this classic former HoJo's.
