How many of you out there remember the orange roofed restaurant chain? Quite a few I’m betting. They were once the largest chain of restaurants in the US with over 1000 locations. In the past decade that number dropped to three; Lake Placid (closed in 2015), Bangor, Maine (2016) and Lake George NY.
Well, the final HoJo’s, the one in Lake George, closed this year, bringing an end to the storied chain. The restaurant, located at 2143 rt 9/Canada st. in Lake George, didn’t open for Memorial day this year bringing an end to that location’s 70 year run.
The restaurant was most recently open in March, and is currently up for lease. It is not clear what prompted the failure to open for what is expected to be the vacation destination’s busiest summer in three years. The for-lease listing mentions a price of $10 for the 7,500-square-foot property, owned since it was built in 1953 by the DeSantis family.
This Editor has fond memories of that particular HoJo’s and the chain in general. The Lake George location was a must visit whenever I was in the area. The clam strips were always ordered and a sundae almost always followed.
The brand for Howard Johnson’s hotels, motels and motor lodges, separate from the restaurants for decades, is owned by Wyndham Hotel Group and is said to comprise more than 400 properties, including one on Canada Street in Lake George.