Holiday Inn Elyria Opens – March 1964

I saw this postcard for the Holiday Inn in Elyria on eBay the other day. It's a nice architectural rendering of the now-shuttered motel. It sure looks a lot like Lorain City Hall. And I had forgotten that it originally had one of the "Great Signs" as they were known.

I really don't think the chain was ever the same after the signs were phased out in the 1980s. Talk about wrecking your brand!

Anyway, when did the Holiday Inn Elyria open?

Well, remember, there already was a Holiday Inn in our area dating back to around 1950 that was located on US 6 just a little east of Baumhart Road in Vermilion. Only it wasn't part of the national chain; it was an independent motel (which I wrote about in a multi-part series and other posts). 

So first, the national Holiday Inn people had to persuade the local Holiday Inn Motel owner (and the adjoining same-named steakhouse) to change their names – or at least shorten them to 'Holiday,' which they did.

Work on the new Holiday Inn took place in the later part of 1963 and early 1964. It seemed to have opened in late March, as that is when events begin to be announced as taking place there.

Sept. 25, 1963 Journal article

Feb. 17, 1964

Sept. 10, 1964

While the motel and its lounge and restaurant boomed for many years, it eventually changed hands (and names) a few times until it became part of the Days Inn chain. I seem to recall attending job fairs there, and even performing there with one of the bands I was with.

It's been in the news many times in the last 15 years or so before finally becoming a nuisance – and then being nailed shut. In recent months, the city of Elyria has taken steps with the owners to fix the building, so maybe things are looking up.

A 2023 view