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This headline in my local newspaper caught my eye. What the paper doesn't say it that the building was originally a Howard Johnson's Restaurant. For years before I-95 everybody driving from New York or thereabouts to Florida had to make a left turn at that intersection. Its a bit of classic commercial architecture. I'm sorry it couldn't be saved, but then its not my property.

Board OKs House of Louie demolition


By Charles Tomlinson

Published: May 14, 2008

FLORENCE — The City of Florence Design Review Board has bid farewell to the former downtown Chinese restaurant House of Louie and welcomed the Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center to the heart of Florence.

Several board members, apparently eager to remove the dilapidated former restaurant, jokingly made motions Tuesday to approve the demolition before they had even received a staff report on the issue.
The building sits at the northwest corner of South Irby and West Palmetto streets.

themanintheseersuckersuit wrote:This headline in my local newspaper caught my eye. What the paper doesn't say it that the building was originally a Howard Johnson's Restaurant. For years before I-95 everybody driving from New York or thereabouts to Florida had to make a left turn at that intersection. Its a bit of classic commercial architecture. I'm sorry it couldn't be saved, but then its not my property.

Board OKs House of Louie demolition


By Charles Tomlinson

Published: May 14, 2008

FLORENCE — The City of Florence Design Review Board has bid farewell to the former downtown Chinese restaurant House of Louie and welcomed the Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center to the heart of Florence.

Several board members, apparently eager to remove the dilapidated former restaurant, jokingly made motions Tuesday to approve the demolition before they had even received a staff report on the issue.
The building sits at the northwest corner of South Irby and West Palmetto streets.

I ate there many times when I lived in Florence.

I read the subject line and was scratching my head over what famous landmark might be nicknamed the House of Louie?

Thanks for keeping us updated on this important news from the City of Florence Design Review Board!

Some of my childhood memories revolve around Howard Johnson's restaurants. The turnpikes that my mother drove between Oklahoma City and Vinita (where her parents lived) had several HoJos along with Philips 66 gasoline stations. We would stop at one on the way up and another one on the way back - if my brother and I had been particularly well-behaved she would buy us chocolate bars that were only available at HoJos. Occasionally we'd get ice cream. One of the HoJos on the Turner Turnpike (OKC to Tulsa) was located on one side of the divided highway and had a skybridge that passed over the highway so that you could stop on the other side and still get to the restaurant.