HoJo to Come to Lorain – April 1954

Typical Howard Johnson's restaurant

Although national companies (except for Dollar stores) now seem to sneer at the idea of doing business in Lorain, there was a time in the 1950s when it made sound economic sense. The city was truly 'an industrial empire in Ohio's vacationland (as the postcards boasted) and the economy was in its Post-War boom – so building a restaurant/motel complex near the intersection of U. S. Highway 6 and Ohio State Route 58 made sense.

And that's the 'second' headline above of the April 20, 1954 Lorain Journal shown below, announcing a new Howard Johnson's motel-restaurant at the former site of the Coliseum, which burned down in May 1952.

Oddly enough, the Howard Johnson's originally was planned for Sheffield Lake, which I discussed back on this post. It was the front page of the Lorain Sunday News back in May 1950.

But the loss of the Coliseum apparently opened up prime real estate in Lorain for Howard Johnson's. Its restaurant eventually opened in Nov. 1955.

Nov 2, 1955 Ad from Lorain Journal

But not a Howard Johnson's motel. For some reason, that idea was abandoned – and instead the Beachcomber Motor Lodge was built behind the HoJo restaurant. The Beachcomber opened in December 1959.

Dec. 4, 1959 Ad from Lorain Journal

Today, Chris' Restaurant occupies the former Howard Johnson's restaurant building. I've haven't carried out a tasty perch sandwich from there in a while, so I'm overdue.

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UPDATE (April 22, 2025)

I carried out a perch sandwich and fries tonight, and it was excellent as I knew it would be. But there was one thing wrong. Can you tell by my photo what it was?

The answer: there was no one there for dinner! The waitress confirmed that it was very slow lately.

Please consider a fine meal there sometime in the near future, and help keep this local institution going!