tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post6004240449517950841..comments2024-03-19T02:28:22.065-05:00Comments on Pleasant Family Shopping: Holiday Inn - The World's InnkeeperDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788722183424550052noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-38033771242786006212020-09-16T16:17:57.384-05:002020-09-16T16:17:57.384-05:00I remember as a teenager with my parents staying a...I remember as a teenager with my parents staying at the Holiday Inn on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago with the revolving rooftop restaurant. My brother and I were asked to put on a sportcoat for LUNCH to be admittedAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-55278030584065924142015-09-19T19:57:01.062-05:002015-09-19T19:57:01.062-05:00Since nobody has posted for awhile, I thought I wo...Since nobody has posted for awhile, I thought I would add some thoughts. I, too grew up in the 60's and 70's with Holiday Inn, and fortunately my parents loved to travel by car, and they passed that down to me. Every year we would drive from Seattle to Michigan to see the Grandparents, and it was Holiday Inn 98% of the time. Billings, Bismarck, Fargo, St. Paul were common stops. (Incidently the impressive Bismarck location was THE place to stay in that town, and stood for years after it ceased being an H.I. Was sadly torn down in recent years, but it had become an eyesore due to neglect. Anyway, before I ramble to much, I really enjoyed your history and pics, and now want to go to Memphis to see the real King (of hospitality)!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-49985595079626116212014-07-24T22:27:14.037-05:002014-07-24T22:27:14.037-05:00One of my earliest recollections was on Christmas ...One of my earliest recollections was on Christmas Eve heading to my aunt and uncle's house in Milledgeville, GA. We lived near Athens, GA and would take 441 straight down (more or less) to their place. The old Holiday Inn sign in Milledgeville was the big note to say how close we were to our turn off into their neighborhood. When we would leave around 11:30, it was often one of the few signs that we would see driving back home. As I recall, the sign itself stood into at least the 90s, although it was not always lit. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-57775370326578169902014-07-08T23:01:03.970-05:002014-07-08T23:01:03.970-05:00Wow, what a great post. I remember the Holidome i...Wow, what a great post. I remember the Holidome in South Beloit, IL, it was the first and only vacation my family took (we were dairy farmers). So much fun. I make it a point to stay at Holiday Inns when traveling for work as I picture the old sign in Freeport, IL....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-10113286065940523362014-05-02T22:37:37.286-05:002014-05-02T22:37:37.286-05:00I'm not sure where the image of the Holiday In...I'm not sure where the image of the Holiday Inn Jr. is from. However, I did find a couple of other article and images of Juniors with their locations provided: <br /><br />http://misspreservation.com/2012/07/11/mississippi-architect-august-1964/<br /><br />https://www.flickr.com/photos/hollywoodplace/4930320913/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-57707041569262365692014-01-23T21:18:35.807-06:002014-01-23T21:18:35.807-06:00I don't know if I'm talking to an empty ro...I don't know if I'm talking to an empty room, but I'll ask anyway. Can you tell me the location of the Holiday Inn Jr. picture above? Thanks.Snapperheadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09826487880181210728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-53514599193224844972014-01-14T16:34:47.535-06:002014-01-14T16:34:47.535-06:00Great article!
You can see more images and discus...Great article!<br /><br />You can see more images and discussion of the Holiday Inn Great Sign in my Facebook group: The Great Sign.<br /><br />https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheGreatSign/<br /><br />Anyone interested is welcome to join.<br /><br />Snapperheadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09826487880181210728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-25038343581884185462013-07-05T04:35:23.527-05:002013-07-05T04:35:23.527-05:00I wish they'd bring back the original neon sig...I wish they'd bring back the original neon sign, which would be considered "retro" now.Chasrichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07545599811374245373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-18606772225614663172013-07-05T04:32:26.773-05:002013-07-05T04:32:26.773-05:00Kionon- I believe it is the one on Lady Bird Lake ...Kionon- I believe it is the one on Lady Bird Lake in Austin.Chasrichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07545599811374245373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-35048453824182798122013-04-22T02:28:03.396-05:002013-04-22T02:28:03.396-05:00The image of the round Holiday Inn with the gas st...The image of the round Holiday Inn with the gas station next to it may very well be the Camden Plaza Hotel at 114 Richey St, Pasadena TX.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02197982405833794318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-42070578022806853122013-04-18T17:58:51.755-05:002013-04-18T17:58:51.755-05:00Awesome memories! To quote Edith & Archie Bun...Awesome memories! To quote Edith & Archie Bunker: "Those Were The Days"!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-59489099484436271132013-04-15T16:22:28.193-05:002013-04-15T16:22:28.193-05:00The location of the "round one" in your ...The location of the "round one" in your photo is on I-35 at Town Lake in Austin, Texas. The HI is still operating today and the Gulf station is now a Chevron.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-15499452716429657452013-03-18T00:31:13.372-05:002013-03-18T00:31:13.372-05:00I never knew until I read this that Gulf Oil and H...I never knew until I read this that Gulf Oil and Holiday Inn had a deal. Now all those old Gulf TV commercials that featured Holiday Inns make sense.<br /><br />Unlike a few other motel chains that had fast food chains or cafeteria chains associated with them, Holiday Inns never really did. Howard Johnson's is both inn and place to have ice cream for example.<br /><br />Your blog brings back memories of things that fired my child's imagination to the point that my usually unobservant father even noticed. I was really fascinated by motels, Interstate Highways, service station chains, restaurant chains, and other things that served the motorist and traveler. Too bad some venture capitalist did not throw money at me or I would have designed a company like Holiday Inns. Their loss.<br /><br />Back in those days,everything seemed possible: NASA was headed to the moon, Look magazine had optimistic articles, people I loved were alive and well (even the old people, such as my grandparents, seemed healthier then), everything was shiny and new (and not covered with grime from air pollution) and even TV commercials were upbeat. I still remember the jingle from the Figurines commercials.<br /><br />One can hope for less slasher movies, less vampire movies, less gloom and (paradoxically) less doom if we listen to the prophets warning us to clean up the environment and reverse climate change. If we clean up the Earth and let private enterprise take us into space, those halcyon days could be back. And, oddly enough, this is exactly what my child's mind was saying all along.<br /><br />Great blog !!!<br />Thank you and God bless you.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-89690220059439154652012-12-30T19:02:04.632-06:002012-12-30T19:02:04.632-06:00Thanks, so glad you liked this! It's always fu...Thanks, so glad you liked this! It's always fun to hear from folks who worked there back in the day. I love the Holidex photo as well...in today's world, it's easy to forget just how advanced Holidex was for its time.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07788722183424550052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-55144608004072230162012-12-28T15:22:44.880-06:002012-12-28T15:22:44.880-06:00Thank you! I worked for Holiday Inns in 2 locatio...Thank you! I worked for Holiday Inns in 2 locations from 1972-1984 and absolutely loved the business. I really miss the great sign. Best of all in your collection you have a picture of Holidex Control...the (then) space-age concept come true...I can even remember the slogan..."Holidex is even better at night...make you reservations now" placard at the front desk.M. Fortashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00232348266343482275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-54519843396537812392012-10-16T06:29:39.277-05:002012-10-16T06:29:39.277-05:00Re: the picture of the round Holiday Inn (location...Re: the picture of the round Holiday Inn (location unknown)looks like the Lady Bird Lake (formerly Town Lake)location in Austin, TX. It's still there, although since the photo was taken it has been enlarged.Chasrichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07545599811374245373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-55889103574736739092012-08-27T13:27:25.803-05:002012-08-27T13:27:25.803-05:00Thank you for this article.
Last night as I was dr...Thank you for this article.<br />Last night as I was driving down the freeway, I spotted a Holiday Inn. I thought about that great, inviting sign from the days of my youth, now replaced by a sterile, plastic, green "H" backlit by flourescent bulbs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-57823453462465512582012-07-29T18:32:58.634-05:002012-07-29T18:32:58.634-05:00Motivated by tons of memories of my family’s stays...Motivated by tons of memories of my family’s stays in original Holiday Inns while growing up in the ‘60s, I often search the web for stories and memorabilia. Recently, while looking for very hard-to-find info about the Holiday Inn Jr. concept, I happened upon this fantastic essay.<br /><br />During our many road trips, my favorite time of day was when my father would say, “it’s getting late, let’s find a Holiday Inn.” Knowing that I’d soon be gazing upon The Great Sign, then adding to my growing collection of soap bars, fly swatters, shoeshine cloths, directories, stationery, pens, postcards and more, simply made my day. If it had a logo on it, I just had to have it.<br /><br />Oddly enough, I never took a towel.<br /><br />I remember the “Holiday Inn Scent” well. My strongest recollections are from when I’d return to our room after a dip in the pool on a hot, humid day. Being hit by a blast of delightfully cold air and that unique scent was a welcome and familiar assault on the senses that I won’t soon forget.<br /><br />Among other more distinct memories is that of the piped-in music played in the rooms, lobbies and restaurants at many properties. The cheerfully upbeat, yet unfamiliar songs sounded as if they were all performed by the same small band, chock full of flutes and muted horns playing in a style vaguely reminiscent of Lawrence Welk. I can’t remember ever hearing the tunes anywhere else, and would love to know if they were produced by a Muzak-type supplier or perhaps by Holiday Inn itself. I’d be beside myself to find the tapes show up on eBay. <br /><br />Though we checked into perhaps a dozen or more of those “dependable two-story” properties all over the country, my most vivid memories are of stays in Carbondale, Illinois during two different summers.<br /><br />A 1962 visit found my parents looking out the window of our second floor room toward the lobby, saying, “I think I saw him!” and “do you think Gracie is here too?” George Burns was appearing at the DuQuoin State Fair that year, and my folks were itching to get a glimpse of him.<br /><br />In 1966, at age ten, my father and I were staying at the same HI during one of his business trips. While my father worked during the day, I hung out with Cliff, one of the young bellhops. To my delight, the marquee needed to be changed, and I beamed from ear to ear at being asked to help carry out the red letters, which were nearly as big as I was.<br /><br />I also had some celebrity encounters during that 1966 stay.<br /><br />Brenda Lee was appearing at the fair that year, and Cliff swooned at the assignment of delivering a message to her suite. I had never heard of the singer, but understanding that she was someone famous made me feel privileged just to tag along. Miss Lee must have wondered why the bellhop had a ten-year-old in tow.<br /><br />The next day, a local television station conducted poolside interviews with several stars that were appearing at that year’s fair. Though I did not know who Brenda Lee or George Kirby were, there was a comedienne that I did recognize, so out I went to watch with curiosity and delight. Afterward, I asked the funny lady to autograph one of those Great Sign postcards with the Innkeeper and black background. Oh, how I wish I had never lost that card. On the back she had drawn a cartoon of a woman with really wild hairdo, and signed below with “Hi, Bruce! – Phyllis Diller.”<br /><br />Above all, the unforgettable Great Sign stood out for me as a symbol of good times by day, and a shining, reassuring beacon of security by night. In the blackness that that shrouded many of the not-yet-fully developed interchange areas at night, the whine of the tires on 18-wheelers plodding on through the dark was a mournful, haunting sound. But “fear not,” the Great Sign always said to me, “for my radiance will envelop you in all that is warm, comfortable and familiar.” And fun.<br /><br />And what I wouldn’t give to live it all again.STLFlyboyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09302381464260082241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-37813361528719113132012-05-27T22:48:00.829-05:002012-05-27T22:48:00.829-05:00I can vividly remember being in a Holiday Inn in L...I can vividly remember being in a Holiday Inn in Lancaster PA in August 1974. After a full day a HersheyPark and traveling around Pennsylvania Dutch country, we gathered around the TV after dinner ... and saw President Nixon give his resignation speech. Also remember staying in a very noisy [and round] ex-Holiday Inn at the intersection of Sunset Blvd. and the 405 freeway in Los Angeles much later in life.5w30noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-88446860381353417172012-04-01T22:26:58.531-05:002012-04-01T22:26:58.531-05:00Like so any others, I have vivid memories of Holid...Like so any others, I have vivid memories of Holiday Inn back when the "Great Signs" were everywhere, and an overnight stay at a HI was a treat after a long day on the road. I guess all of the original, "exterior-entry" locations have been purged from the HI ranks? Thanks so much for this welcome trip down memory lane!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-43766601418282959562012-03-23T09:00:10.803-05:002012-03-23T09:00:10.803-05:00The round Holiday Inn looks like the former Saddle...The round Holiday Inn looks like the former Saddle Brook, NJ location. It is currently an abandoned building.Maimone Digitalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06868695881597639109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-55194194662459611482012-03-12T19:54:24.697-05:002012-03-12T19:54:24.697-05:00I went to a Holiday Inn just last this past Saturd...I went to a Holiday Inn just last this past Saturday for a wedding. It made me pretty sad that first off, the ugly logo, but also the breakfast sold wasn't very great...I'm sure it was better in the old days.<br /><br />In exploring Galveston after the wedding, I noticed a "Holiday Inn Resort" and was disgusted if this was the old SunSpree Resorts, but down the road was a real "Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort" hotel and was delighted. Old logos, too! I wish that logos didn't have to go away...Holiday Inn, Jack in the Box, JCPenney, and more...Pseudo3Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17848368606946150471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-19776855875571514882012-02-08T15:47:28.942-06:002012-02-08T15:47:28.942-06:00Fantastic and very comprehensive! Always liked the...Fantastic and very comprehensive! Always liked the look of those 60's and 70's era Holiday Inn's that had their own restaurant in them! So very Americana. When I saw the food products with the Holiday Inn labels I nearly fell over too! Good stuff.Adamnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-22628606407365088772012-02-03T01:17:17.926-06:002012-02-03T01:17:17.926-06:002/3/12
RobGems.ca Wrote:
Loved your artcle on Holl...2/3/12<br />RobGems.ca Wrote:<br />Loved your artcle on Holliday Inn,just as good as many of your articles. I miss the "Great Sign" too. In Michigan, they were a part of my childhood as anyones' in Memphis will recall of that expensive, but grand sign. The last "Great Sign" I saw was the Troy, Michigan Holliday Inn by 1-75 and Rochester Road by the diversion into Stephenson Highway. It finally came down in 1982;now it's been replaced by a Marroit's Hotel site. There was a circular-cylinder shaped Holliday Inn in Michigan as well; It was off of Telegraph Rd. (U.S. 24) near the cutoff of the I-296 Intersection in Southfield. Last I looked, it was still there, without the "Great Sign" sadly. I don't remember if they had a Gulf station by it in the early 70's, but today It's now a Sunoco station. Gulf oil has gone from Michigan around 1991,replaced by B. P. or Marathon stations. As for the record label based off of Holliday Inn's hotel chain, here's this interesting tidbit you probably already know from record collector blogs: The label was started in 1963, and survived until about 1969.Late in it's near 7-year life, they brought in A well-known record producer from Memphis who already was world-famous for having Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis on his label roster. After Sam Phillips (how'd you guess?) sold out his interests of Sun Records to SSS/Plantation Records boss Shelby Singleton in Janurary 1969, Phillips briefly ran the promotional end of the sevices for Holliday Inn Records, but it didn't last long. Whithin a year later, the label went under, never producing more than regional selling records,and never breaking into Billboard's Top 100 charts. The Label issued about 21 45 R.P.M. singles by the decades' end, each one a collector's item by record collectors. (The label never had distinguished "name" artists like Presley/Cash,etc., but did issue some interesting Rockabilly and R&B discs. My favorite one was "Rip It Up Potato Chip" (yes, that was it's title)by local Memphis rocker Kenny Lund issued in 1964. Phillips would eventually go back into re-issuing the Sun empire's discs with Shelby Singleton well into the 1990's. Sam Phillips died in 2008, Shelby Singleton died in 2010. Today, the Sun label is owned by Rhino Records, who was purchased by Warner Brothers in 2004, and has liecesing agreements with Charly/Ace Records (in Europe),Sony/BMG (for Cash & Presley's re-issues.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-66250032087495312922011-12-29T07:11:33.158-06:002011-12-29T07:11:33.158-06:00Anonymous Coke & Pepsi...interesting point, bu...Anonymous Coke & Pepsi...interesting point, but while Atlanta-based Coca-Cola became a part of Southern culture before the world's, Pepsi-Cola was created in North Carolina.<br /><br />Anonymous WHER...there were also stations in New York and Chicago that had all-female air staffs. The New York crew included the beloved doyenne of the TV series WHAT'S MY LINE, Arlene Francis, while Chicago had Yvonne Daniels, one of the first female African-American DJs, who later had a stint at the city's legendary Top 40 station, WLS. She passed on at an early age, and the city honored her by dedicating a portion of a major thoroughfare in her name.Paul Ducanoreply@blogger.com