Former Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge and Restaurant located at 210 South Nicholson Dr. in Santa Maria,CA. The motor lodge is currently sitting vacant while the restaurant is currently occupied by an IHOP. Note the gate lodge has been drastically modified from its original appearance. Despite the radical and tasteless alterations given the building the A-Frame shape of the gate lodge is still recognizable.
Note the 64 room motor lodge carried the HJ name until April 1995, while the 168 seat restaurant ceased operating as a Howard Johnson's on July 19th 1986. After the motor lodge dropped the relinquished the HJ name, the property was rebranded as Comfort Inn. The Comfort Inn name was dropped in the late 2000's and the property was rebranded as a Quality Inn. By the late 2010's the property was rebranded as an Econo Lodge. The Econo Lodge name was dropped in 2018 at which point the motel was renamed "The Hotel Santa Maria". The independently owned Hotel Santa Maria operated until late 2019. After sitting vacant for a few months the motor lodge was converted into a housing complex for people holding H2-A work visas. By early 2021 the former Howard Johnson's motor lodge was sitting vacant. After the HJ restaurant closed the building was converted into an independently owned eatery which operated under the name MVP's Sports Bar. In late 1989 the restaurant was acquired by IHOP which as of January 2023 is still operating in the former Howard Johnson's Restaurant.
Note Howard Johnson's opened this motor lodge and restaurant on November 10th 1969.
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