Howard Johnson: The Franchise

Just as the fledgling company was poised for expansion, the stock market crashed. Banks were not lending, but Johnson conceived of the idea of a franchise. In return for an initial investment, Johnson would provide the design, menu, standards, and food products while the investor-franchisee-property owner reaped most of the profits. The first franchise opened in Orleans, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod in the depths of the Great Depression. A simple white clapboard colonial house, trimmed in turquoise, it featured three dormers, multipaned windows, a cupola with a clock and weathervane in the shape of Simple Simon and the Pieman, the company logo. A bright orange roof ensured maximum visibility.