Once an icon of Americana, the last of the Howard Johnson Restaurants located in Lake George, New York, is officially closed, and the building is listed on a local reality company's site for a jaw-dropping $10.
According to the listing, the building sits on a 1-acre lot just off of US Route 9. With 7,500 square feet of space, 70 parking spots, and high visibility, I can only assume the $10 is a typo of some sort, or there's an occupant in the basement that comes with the deal.
All jokes aside, it is sad to see the last Howard Johnson's close up shop.
The restaurant chain was one of the nation's largest with about 1,000 restaurants, including three iconic locations in Times Square. Howard Johnson's sported the iconic orange roof and blue steeple, and wayfarers new exactly what they were getting when they happened upon one. Accoding to Roadside Fans:
"With standardized menus and building designs, a Howard Johnson's miles away felt as familiar and comforting as the one back home."
The restaurants operated in conjunction with the Howard Johnson hotel, a brand long since sold to Wyndham, which currently operates around 300 Howard Johnson hotels. And unfortunately, as the restaurant chain went through several owners and spats with franchisees, it began to shutter most of its locations in 2005.
The Lake George location was the last restaurant open in 2022, but reviews were not so good, calling it a "shell of its former self."
One reviewer wrote:
If you come here expecting those nostalgic memories to come back, you will be disappointed.
Just look at these dishes.
I guess it's no wonder it finally closed down. If you really do need the hit of nostalgia, and the price is accurate on the reality site, you can pick up the whole joint for the price of a pancake breakfast, so there's that.
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