The Model T that brought Marriott International founder J. Willard Marriott and his wife Alice to Washington, D.C. has made the move from the hospitality giant's former Bethesda headquarters to the new one. It's now on display, and can be seen from outside on the ground floor of the office building at 7750 Wisconsin Avenue. This is the car Bill and Alice took on their honeymoon trip from Salt Lake City to our nation's capital on June 8, 1927. According to their son, it took eight days and the car wound up in a couple of ditches along the way - not surprising, given that America's fabulous interstate highway system was still decades away.
What began with Bill's A&W Root Beer stand in 1927, graduated to Hot Shoppes, and became an internationally-known Fortune 500 company, is going to be a century old in less than five years. That centennial will be celebrated at this new downtown headquarters. For a company that wouldn't be here today if not for the American automobile and traveler, it's a very appropriate symbol to have on display there. Now, where are the Mighty Mo 🍔 and Orange Freeze?
The car seems oddly placed in a back hallway. Why not put it in their grand two story high lobby?
ReplyDeleteThey should also have classically signed their cafe near the entrance “Hot Shoppes” and served root beer and Mighty Mo burgers for lunch, in addition to the standard coffee shop stuff. Seems like such a simple and bold idea, it makes me wonder about Marriott’s respect for their past and the lack of inspiration and creativity offered by their architect, Gensler. Come on folks, this was a no-brainer! Every article ever published about Marriott always starts with root beer, and Mighty Mo burgers.
A clever designer would have also included a large scale digital counter in the lobby that showcased the current and growing number of Marriott branded hotels in the world, amazingly now over 8000!
@5:39AM If it's nostalgia you're looking for, that was done with the opening of the Marriott Marquis location, near the DC Convention Center. It has the Hot Shoppe, Mighty Mo (with pickle on top) and the rest of the coffee shop stuff, at today's prices ($$$$). Pay them a visit, they'd love to take your cash.
ReplyDeleteLet’s not forget Hot Shoppes was also a Good Fast Food and Good Fast Casual Food Place back in the 1960’s and 70’s. They experimented in both types of eateries with some success. I really liked their Fried Chicken…………
ReplyDeleteThe way things are going around here, that vehicle will most likely be stolen by the end of the week...
ReplyDelete