In addition to his wife, Howard is survived by his sons, Howard Aaron Johnson and his wife Ashley and Andrew B. Johnson.  He is also survived by his siblings, Stanley, Judy, Marva, Linda and Norma and by many nieces and nephews.  He was predeceased by his brother, Randall Johnson.

A public viewing will be held on Monday, January 18, 2021 from 12:45-1:45 p.m. at the James J. Terry Funeral Home, 736 E. Lancaster Avenue, Downingtown.  Due to the Covid pandemic, the memorial service will be held privately with the family.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Michael J. An April 1966 news article offered an innocent glimpse into the relationship between Howard Brennan Johnson and his son, Howard the third: Howard Brennan will be a very disappointed man if [his 7 year-old son] Howard Bates doesnt become president of the Howard Johnson Company by the year 2000. Johnson acquired the clam strips via an exclusive distribution agreement with the Soffron Brothers Clam Company in Ipswitch, Massachusetts. In 1959, Howard Johnson stepped down as head of the company and his son, Howard Brennan "Bud" Johnson, formally took over. When his father died, the 27 year-old was left to run the cigar company. One former executive said HoJo always seemed to have ideas to upgrade the restaurants and hotels,but they never wanted to spend the money. Comments from former Howard Johnson chef Jacques Ppin were more critical: Howard B. Johnson lacked his fathers charisma and genius for business. The reclassification allowed the specialty restaurants to serve more liquor. Johnson lured the family business by being one of the first to introduce a childrens menu and free desserts for Kids Club members on their birthdays. Only three were built, and within five years the HoJo Junctions were converted into regular Howard Johnsons restaurants. La Manchas attempt to save Howard Johnsons fizzled out after a few years, derailed by affiliate bankruptcies, the 2008 financial crisis, and prickly relationships with restaurant owners. In a 1962 interview Bud revealed the difficult schedule of his typical day. It was Rufus Nims job to not only solve this problem of economy, but to also create an even stronger identity with more robust brand recognition. Johnson held lofty standards, something his employees understood well as he routinely urged them to put forth greater effort. Today's Highlight in History: On March 1, 1974, seven people, including former Nixon White House aides H.R.   He was on the Board of Trustees at Bloomsburg University, which was the very college he attended and received a Bachelor of Science degree.  He retired at the onset of his disease and turned to his other love, listening to jazz. He had known since the age of five he wanted to run the company, and he attended his first board of directors meeting when he was twelve years old. Howard Brennan retired the Simple Simon & Pieman logo and the bottomless cup of coffee a one-time Howard Johnsons staple and victim of skyrocketing coffee prices. We made fresh stock in a quantity requiring 3,000 pounds of veal bones for each batch, and we daily boned 1,000 turkeys and made 10 tons of frankfurters. Ppin worked for the company in its Queens Village commissary until 1970. And Howard Johnson needs all those same things.. He'd been unwell for some time with an undisclosed illness. Meals were designed by top chefs Johnson plucked from New York Citys finest French restaurants. This double-barrel method of selling products to the franchisees was another Howard Johnson innovation, but prior to 1979 it was without regulation. It also purchased Century 21, Coldwell Banker, and ERA Real Estate brokerages, and in 1996 added Knights Inn, Travelodge, and the Avis car rental business to their portfolio. Inside, rustic traditional seating was replaced with minimalist benches. By offering customers an easy way to call ahead to the next motor lodge, Howard Johnsons encouraged additional stays at other Howard Johnson Motor Lodges. In a complex transaction, Marriott outright purchased Howard Johnson Company (sans Ground Round) from Imperial for $314 million dollars. Update: Less than a week after this story was published, LaRock was. By 1979 the Host of the Highways had become the largest hospitality company in America, with more than 1,000 restaurants and 500 motor lodges. Like many, Carl has fond memories of the chain from its heyday. Howard Sr. used to say In the old days, I used to know every franchised dealer by his first name. By the 1950s the chain had grown so large this was no longer possible. By April of 2007only three Howard Johnsons restaurants remained (Lake George, NY, Lake Placid, NY, and Bangor, Maine). The companys founder and namesake was a grade school dropout who became a franchising pioneer and introduced the restaurant industry to centralized purchasing. Some even improved it. The company also owned 17 cold storage, manufacturing, and processing plants in 11 states, as well as ten Red Coach Grill Restaurants, an upscale specialized chain that Howard D. founded in 1938. After. A handful of restaurants held out into the late 2000s, but the company has been gone for decades. He had already passed away by the time the ambulance arrived. California Obituary Index name index of individuals born in California, at Obits Index. You could make money anywhere.. The thousand-seat restaurant featured luxurious touches such as crystal chandeliers, elaborate murals, and a grand staircase. Meanwhile fast food chains like McDonalds were devouring HoJos market share with inexpensive menus and innovations such as the Kids Meal, a smash hit with Americans and something for which Howard Johnsons had no immediate answer. In 1965 Howard Johnsons fed Americans 350 million meals and played host to 8 million travelers. Four Highland Count football seniors, two from Hillsboro and two from McClain, have been named honorable mention on the 2021 Division IV All-Ohio Football . The Howard Johnsons in Queens was once the largest roadside restaurant in the United States. FAI brought back the apostrophe for its restaurants in the 1980s. Hotel franchise owners banded together, and like the restaurant owners formed their own company in attempt to steer their future. S uch is Brennan Johnson's glittering form for Nottingham Forest, Austria would be foolish to fixate on the usual suspects when they take on Wales in their World Cup . Times Gazette. [ Howard Johnsons was not the first food company to franchise that achievement goes to Harvey House, a fixture in railroad terminals in the late 1800s. HFS continued its buying spree into the mid-1990s, eventually becoming the largest hotel franchiser in the world after adding Super 8 Motels, Park Inns, and Village Lodges to its holdings. Franey and Ppin were instrumental in developing the Howard Johnsons flash frozen signature dishes that could be delivered across the country and re-heated, which helped guarantee a consistent product. In 1959, Howard Deering Johnson, who had founded and managed the company since 1925, turned control over to his son, then 26-year-old Howard Brennan Johnson. Once connected guests could immediately discuss accommodations, prices, arrival times, and handle special arrangements in advance of arrival. Under Cendant Howard Johnson launched a new line of fewer-frills hotels in 1997. Michael Hostage, steward of Howard Johnson Company for the last five years under Imperial Group, was recruited to continue his post under Prime Motor Inns. Plot. I think its a great way to make money. Source: Kingston Library. At the age of 13, he taught himself to play baritone saxophone; at 14, he began on the tuba, which he played in both his high-school marching and concert bands. Thursday, October 17, 2013 - 2:17pm. Last modified on Fri 6 Jan 2023 13.27 EST. Once the rights were secured, HJ Acquisition Corp. changed its name to Howard Johnson International (HJI) and incorporated a logo change. There is a cemetery sanctioned flat gray stone that reads Johnson 412-1 close to the road in front of his stone. This is a pretty good business.. It didnt surprise me that after Howard D. Johnsons death in 1972, his organization lost its raison detre. Brennan paints upbeat picture of Maine in speech, and Burger King taking over 4 Howard Johnson's . Passed on January 14, 2006 after a short illness in Del Webb Hospital, Ariz.,. Essentially the Howard Johnson Company acquired and stored all of the ingredients and materials in large warehouses around the country, then sold its inventory to the hundreds of franchises. [ Howard Johnsons original 28 ice cream flavors: Banana, Black Raspberry, Burgundy Cherry, Butter Pecan, Buttercrunch, Butterscotch, Caramel Fudge, Chocolate, Chocolate Chip, Coconut, Coffee, Frozen Pudding, Fruit Salad, Fudge Ripple, Lemon Stick, Macaroon, Maple Walnut, Mocha Chip, Orange-Pineapple,Peach, Peanut Brittle, Pecan Brittle, Peppermint Stick, Pineapple, Pistachio, Strawberry, Strawberry Ripple, Vanilla. Under Franchise Associates 20-year stewardship, the number of Howard Johnsons restaurants decreased 92%. Fortunate timing played a role as few companies of the era had the capacity to fill and staff the early large-scale hospitality requirements of the burgeoning turnpike system. (For comparison, present-day chain Chipotle, who allocates more than the industry average to purchasing its fresh food, spends 35%). I looked at the profile of earnings and considered the companys assets, and I saw that we were actually in the hotel business, notwithstanding the perception of the public. Once he came to this realization, the restaurants effectively took a back seat to the hotels. Location? By the early 2000s Howard Johnson International was running four different types of hotels: The full-service Howard Johnson Hotels, the HoJo Plaza Hotels, the Howard Johnson Inns (which had restaurants, but no room service), and the limited-service HoJo Express Inns.