Comments on: Ho Jo’s No Go

By: terryt

terryt — Tue, 12 Apr 2005 18:08:00 +0000

Thanks for the HoJo piece, Neo. Charming. I loved your description of your wee hour meal.

A visit to a Howard Johnson's during family vacations in the 1960s was
an experience I will always remember fondly. I loved seeing the orange and turquoise, my dad pulling off the turnpike, getting out of a hot car & entering the air conditioned cool of a HoJo. I clearly recall the feeling of sliding into a turquoise leather booth. But what I remember most was the "Orange Freeze", an Orange drink/ Orange sherbet float. My sister and brother and I loved them. And of course the hot dogs with the beautiful toasted bun. And yes, the Fried Clams too! Happy memories.

The last HoJo I was in is the one in Times Square. About a year ago (2004)I just went in to look around, knowing that it's soon to be either totally transformed into something else or torn down. Sad. O well. Very enjoyable while they lasted.

By: hg wells

hg wells — Tue, 12 Apr 2005 18:08:00 +0000

neo — I just put you in my daily blog list too. You’re getting better and better; I love your range.

Howard Johnson’s was an icon from my childhood. My grandmother would take us kids there for a treat. For my birthday she bought me a “Satellite Sparkler” — Howard Johnson’s top-of-the-line $1.75 sundae topped with a lighted sparkler spewing magical ozoney sparks all over the restaurant table.

By: A Liberal Friend (you know who)

A Liberal Friend (you know who) — Tue, 12 Apr 2005 18:08:00 +0000

Well, I loved it, the whole thing, your HoJo reflection and all the responses. Would you believe that I too have significant HoJO memories which I will share next time we meet.

By: Dymphna

Dymphna — Tue, 12 Apr 2005 18:08:00 +0000

Haven't been back to Boston in years but I wonder if the Brigham's ice cream shops still exist. I loved their lime rickeys and now must make my own...inc. having to make the raspberry syrup since you can't find any.

The things we do for love...

And now, even in VA, I can buy fresh clams at the grocery store. Nothing like a steamed clam...

In Gloucester one year, the tail end of a huuricane came thru Cape Anne in early September. We all went down to the beach and collected dozens and dozens of mussels. A first for all of us: looked like clams, tasted almost as good...

Sic transit, hmmm?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Apr 2005 18:08:00 +0000

The best thing about the old Howard Johnson’s was the RELISH that went on the hot dogs (very sweet), and the way they toasted the buns. Yum….

By: Jille

Jille — Tue, 12 Apr 2005 18:08:00 +0000

When I was in high school, the only cool place to go after Friday night dances was the HoJo's at Fresh Pond. NO ONE has ever made better fried clam rolls than they did. Remember the wonderful buttery toasted rolls? They used them on hotdogs as well.

I actually met the real Howard Johnson at a wedding when I was about 7. He had a head like an egg

By: GSR

GSR — Tue, 12 Apr 2005 18:08:00 +0000

During high school in the 70’s I worked at Friendly’s and on Friday/Saturday nights, us Friendly’s closers would clean up, lock up and head over to HoJo’s for a midnight breakfast before heading home. There were some nights, much to my parent’s chagrin, that I wouldn’t be home until almost dawn, having spent hours at hojos drinking coffee, eating pancakes and smoking cigarettes…great memories!

By: Asher - Dreams Into Lightning

Asher - Dreams Into Lightning — Tue, 12 Apr 2005 18:08:00 +0000

Wow. Another piece of my old New England gone!

I remember eating there as a kid – I can remember the bright orange roof that you could see from Mars. Yup, I remember their fried clams too (this was before I got involved with this weird cult called “the Jewish religion”.)

Also I remember that my parents had boycotted it for a while during the civl rights era. I think that was a little before my time – or just about the time I was born – so probably what I’m remembering is that they spoke of having boycotted HoJo’s.

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 12 Apr 2005 18:08:00 +0000

HoJos seems to be going the way of the dinosaur . Alas, poor Yorick…

By: Brad

Brad — Tue, 12 Apr 2005 18:08:00 +0000

Does anyone remember the parody of HoJo’s in Mad magazine, poking fun at the slowness of the service? The piece included one waitress that was pregnant for 27 months. But I also loved the place as a kid; getting out of the back of the station wagon after several hours; HoJo’s felt like home.