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Description
Kirkwood Missouri, April 15th, 2023.

There are a lot of pictures of the original buildings, but they all seem to be just tiny files. Sorry about that.

In 1955, at the intersection of Route 66 and Bypass 66 (AKA: The Racetrack of Death), Harry Giessow opened a Howard Johnson's restaurant.

In 1973 Glessow opened a Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge, that was integrated with the restaurant. The hotel was (and probably still is) a six story 114 guest room facility

In 1994, the Giesows canceled their Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge franchise and renamed the property the Best Western Kirkwood Inn

By April of 2002, there were less than 20 Howard Johnson's restaurants remaining in the United States and only one west of the Mississippi, the orange-roofed restaurant in Kirkwood.

Harry Glessow's son Gary sold the restaurant to Michael Van Stavern in 2001. It was still at a good location, but in spite of Mr. Van Stavern's efforts, the Kirkwood Howard Johnson's closed without fanfare on October 21, 2002. "We just ran of of food".
Outside, Simple Simon and the Pieman still twirled atop the weathervane on the cupola. The chain's logo also graced a stone wall. But the eraser board that had advertised daily specials read: "Out of Business."

In July 2003 most of the restaurant was demolished. Only the southern end that was added in the 1973 expansion still remains.

Description
Kirkwood Missouri, April 15th, 2023.

There are a lot of pictures of the original buildings, but they all seem to be just tiny files. Sorry about that.

In 1955, at the intersection of Route 66 and Bypass 66 (AKA: The Racetrack of Death), Harry Giessow opened a Howard Johnson's restaurant.

In 1973 Glessow opened a Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge, that was integrated with the restaurant. The hotel was (and probably still is) a six story 114 guest room facility

In 1994, the Giesows canceled their Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge franchise and renamed the property the Best Western Kirkwood Inn

By April of 2002, there were less than 20 Howard Johnson's restaurants remaining in the United States and only one west of the Mississippi, the orange-roofed restaurant in Kirkwood.

Harry Glessow's son Gary sold the restaurant to Michael Van Stavern in 2001. It was still at a good location, but in spite of Mr. Van Stavern's efforts, the Kirkwood Howard Johnson's closed without fanfare on October 21, 2002. "We just ran of of food".
Outside, Simple Simon and the Pieman still twirled atop the weathervane on the cupola. The chain's logo also graced a stone wall. But the eraser board that had advertised daily specials read: "Out of Business."

In July 2003 most of the restaurant was demolished. Only the southern end that was added in the 1973 expansion still remains.