The Lake George site of the last Howard Johnson’s in the U.S. is for sale, but the fate of the restaurant is still unknown.
According to the Associated Press, property owner Joe DeSantis confirmed that the parcel of land that includes HoJo’s in Lake George Village is for sale. He also denied reports that the restaurant is closed and said he believed they are just running off-season hours. As of writing, we are happy to confirm that HoJo’s in Lake George Village is indeed open!
The Lake George restaurant was reopened in 2015 by John LaRock, who worked at the original Lake George Howard Johnson’s in the 1970s, just as a HoJo’s in Lake Placid closed in early 2015 and before the other remaining Howard Johnson’s closed in Bangor, Maine in fall 2016.
An iconic establishment that was once the largest restaurant chain in the US, Howard Johnson’s was founded when its namesake and creator Howard Deering Johnson inherited a soda fountain in 1920s Boston. In August, LaRock told the Associated Press “We’re doing great. We’re going to do some renovations this winter. Spruce it up, keep it going. Knowing I have the only one left makes it special.”
Sources:
Associated Press: Lake George site of last Howard Johnson’s restaurant in U.S. up for sale
Associated Press: Howard Johnson’s restaurant to close, leaving only 1 more
