Howard Johnson's Opens in Lorain – Nov. 1955

Nov. 2, 1955 Lorain Journal ad

Nov. 7, 1955 article from the Lorain Journal

If you're a Lorainite over the age of 50 like me, then you probably remember when Lorain had a Howard Johnson's down on West Erie just west of Leavitt Road. (I've blogged about it a few times before, including here.)

If you've ever wondered how long the building has been there, the Grand Opening ad above answers that question. The ad appeared in the Lorain Journal on Nov. 2, 1955 – 58 years ago this month.

It may seem strange to readers of this blog that I have nostalgic feelings towards a national restaurant chain, but when it comes to ice cream, you can't have too many options in my opinion. My family usually went to Lorain Creamery for ice cream cones, but if we wanted to sit down and enjoy a sundae or milk shake, we might go to Howard Johnson's, since it was in our neck of the woods.

Today, the former HoJo building is the home of Chris' Restaurant (below).

The view on Saturday morning