National Chains & Name Brands
The Quick Quirk Quiz
The Surprising Stories, Hidden History,
and Unusual Origins Behind Familiar Things
By Janet Spencer, Trivia Queen of the Universe
Royal Ruler of Useless Information
Master of Arcane Knowledge & Extraneous Lore
Keeper of Forgotten Facts & Startling Statistics
Published by Janet Spencer at Smashwords.com
Copyright 2009 Janet Spencer
Discover other works by Janet Spencer at
www.smashwords.com/profile/view/triviaqueen
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Better Motel
A Turnpike Restaurant
Battle of the Hotels
From Goatherd to Glory
Taco Heaven
Harold’s Place
A New Fast Food Chain
Ice Cream Delight
High Quality Ice Cream
A Fortuitous Fire
Irv & Burt Start a Business
A Quality Campground
Quality Camping Equipment
Best Boots
A Publicity Parade
Quality Merchandise
A Load of Watches
Functional Furniture
A Better Sewing Machine
An Asthmatic Janitor
Scandalous Silverware
An Ice Builder
A Hot Bath
Leftover Cork
Sawdust & Splinters
From Insulation to Flooring
The Seed Guru
Speedy Delivery
A Better Motel
Kemmons Wilson and his wife lived in Memphis, Tennessee and had five children. In 1951 the entire family went to Washington, D.C. on vacation. Every time they checked into a hotel room, they discovered the hidden cost. The hotel would have advertised their rooms for rent for $6 or $8, but there was a $2 extra charge for every child which increased the price of the room considerably. It annoyed Wilson, especially since the rooms were often uncomfortable and unattractive. He was a builder who was in the business of constructing homes. Now he decided to construct motels, where children stayed free of charge and the rooms were comfortable and clean. He borrowed $365,000 and hired a draftsman to draw up blueprints. The designer was watching a Bing Crosby film as he worked and they decided to name the motel after the movie. In 1952 the first one opened in Memphis. Three more went up in town in quick succession, so that it was impossible to drive into Memphis without passing one. Then Wilson decided to franchise his idea, figuring that if he could get every construction firm in the nation to build one, he could get 400 motels running in short order. The plan worked. By 1964 there were 500 of his motels spread across the nation, and by 1972 when he was featured on the cover of Time magazine, there were over 1,400 of his motels worldwide. What is the motel chain called?
Answer: Holiday Inn.
A Turnpike Restaurant
An ice cream peddler purchased a drugstore in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1925. Ice cream sales were brisk. So he also opened a restaurant, but business was slow. The restaurant was next to a theater, and when the theater staged a controversial play, crowds flocked to see it. Because the play was four hours long, there was an intermission so people could take a dinner break. Suddenly the restaurant was jammed, giving him enough money to expand. At that time, automobiles and highways were opening up America. He spotted a niche, providing travelers with dependable, high-quality food. The Great Depression nearly ended his idea of opening a chain of restaurants, until he decided to franchise his idea: people would pay him for the right to use his name, sell his products, and follow his guidelines. His formula included highly visible locations, efficient kitchens, and visits from ‘spies’ who reported deviations. The 160-mile long Pennsylvania Turnpike was one of the first limited-access highways ever built. In 1940 he obtained the exclusive right to set up one of his restaurants at each of the turnpike’s exits. Each restaurant had an orange roof, visible for miles. By 1941 he had franchised over 150 restaurants. When World War II began, about 90 percent of his restaurants closed, but he survived by providing food to defense plants and universities. After the war, business boomed and by 1954 there were 400 of his franchised restaurants across the country. By the 1970s it was the largest restaurant chain in the country. What is the chain, named after the ice cream peddler?
Answer: Howard Johnson’s.
Battle of the Hotels
William was a one of the richest men in the country. He was twice as rich as his very rich Aunt Caroline, but William was angry because she had what he wanted but could not find: prestige. She was the society leader of the day, while he was an outcast. To make matters worse, they were neighbors, living side by side in expensive mansions in New York City, but Aunt Caroline had a mansion that was far more wonderful than William’s. The parties and balls she held there were the talk of the town. Being next door to her public displays of popularity galled William and he wanted revenge. So he tore down his fabulous mansion, and built a 13-story hotel there instead, so she would always have to live in his shadow. The hotel, which opened in 1893, had electricity and private bathrooms, both unheard-of in that day. William’s cousin John stepped into the feud, and convinced Caroline to move uptown, giving her mansion to him. In 1897 John tore down Caroline’s mansion and built a 17-story hotel right next to William’s 13-story hotel. As John’s hotel was being built, William’s manager suggested that it be built with connecting passages so the two hotels could, if the feud cooled, become one hotel. Everyone agreed this would lead to greater profit, and the profit was more important than the feud, so the two hotels were connected. One carried the name of William, and one carried the name of Caroline. What is the hotel called?
Answer: Waldorf-Astoria, built by William Waldorf Astor and Caroline Astor, with
the help of John Jacob Astor on the site now occupied by the Empire State Building.
From Goatherd to Glory