Entrepreneur. He was an American businessman who became an ice cream and hotel magnate. Howard Johnson was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1897. He quit school in the eighth grade to work in his father's cigar store. He served in World War I as a part of the American Expeditionary Force. Soon after Johnson's return, his father died, leaving him the business and its heavy debt. He sold the business to pay off the debts in 1924. This was followed by his borrowing $2,000 to buy a small corner drugstore and soda fountain in Wollaston, Massachusetts. He sold candy, newspapers, cigars, and medicine and was very successful. The popularity of the soda fountain convinced him that having better-tasting ice cream would boost his business. At first, he used his mother's recipe. Not satisfied with this, he invested $300 in an ice cream recipe from an elderly German immigrant who was retiring. This premium ice cream recipe utilized natural flavors and twice the normal level of butterfat. Johnson began with three flavors, eventually increasing this to twenty-eight flavors including banana, pistachio, butterscotch, pineapple, and coconut. He also sold his ice cream at local beaches to boost business. A local restaurant owner, who purchased ice cream from the drug store, asked to use the Howard Johnson name on his restaurant. Johnson agreed, which made him the exclusive source of supplies and eventually the owner of the restaurant. The restaurant combined a lunch counter, fast food takeout, an ice cream stand, and a sit-down restaurant, all in one location. Johnson soon began selling franchises of his restaurants. The white buildings trimmed with orange and sea blue became the Howard Johnson trademark. By 1940, Johnson had about 135 restaurants. During World War II, 90 percent of the restaurants closed due to gas and sugar rationing. The industrious Johnson contracted to manufacture candy and other goods for the Armed Forces. After the war, he began expanding his chains nationwide. More Americans were beginning to travel, and Johnson saw a need for better-quality motels and hotels to meet the needs of these travelers and their families. He created motor hotels, offering good services and cleanliness, following closely the details of preparing the food, how to serve it, staff uniforms, signs, advertising, and every other aspect of operation. Howard Johnson retired in 1959, leaving the company to his MBA Harvard Business School graduate son, "Bud," who became the nation's youngest president of a major company. Even in retirement, he continued to monitor his restaurants for cleanliness and proper food preparation, often performing unannounced inspections. By 1965, the Howard Johnson name was to be found on 770 restaurants and 265 motor hotels. In 1965, sales exceeded those of McDonald's, Burger King, and Kentucky Fried Chicken combined. HoJo's was the second largest food feeder in the United States, second only to the U.S. Army. In 1977, Howard Johnson posted a net profit of $30 million on revenues. Then American eating habits changed; the landmark Times Square's HoJo, as Howard Johnson was being called, was shuttered at the close of business on July 8, 2005. According to "Forbes" magazine, there were only 475 Hojos hotels and motels remaining in 13 countries in 2012, a decrease due to increased competition from fast-food restaurants and their lower prices. Nevertheless, Howard Johnson made it possible for travelers and families to eat nutritiously and enjoy a higher standard in all aspects of hospitality than was previously available.