Running the Motel and the Restaurant

"Maureen Jensen, our office receptionist and day clerk looking out from behind the main office of the motel, after we had remodeled." - C. Don Bishop

 

Keep note of the "Friendship Inn Motels" sign at the head of the desk. Remember, this was the franchise the motel was a part of. 

 

 "Behind the counter of our main office at the motel. One of our very fine clerks, Trudy Christensen. Yes, we really did run a fine program." - C. Don Bishop

 

Look past the clerk and you'll see an array of scenic post cards being displayed for sale.

 

Here is a shot adjacent to the motel desk, with tourist pamphlets, road maps, and candy being sold to patrons. 

Picture of Kent, Thelma, Linda Bishop with a friend, all having dinner in the Bridgerland Coffee Shop.

"The last big adventure up there started in about that time. We wiped out the family room nearest the office (we did our own night clerking by then) and rebuilt the office into a small restaurant. “Bridgerland Coffee Shop” we called it. We had about 10 tables and a decent kitchen; we could serve up to about forty-five people, which in the Logan, Utah of 1968-1970 was significant. There were only six or eight other eating establishments in town then. We hired a cook-waitress team who had worked for years at the old Zanavoo Lodge up the canyon and in a single bold stroke, we became a much bigger act. People came. Mostly out of desperation, I’m sure, but our cook was pretty good and we had a remarkable success with local regulars as well as making our guests very happy with a nearby place to eat. Until then it was either the Frederico’s Pizzeria nearby or downtown.  

The best part for me was that our new cook had neglected to consider her day’s off. I became the master chef on the swing shift. It was honestly a lot of fun to do. We hired the youngest daughter of the waitress to work as the backup waitress as well. Probably my best memories of the place was eating all the ice cream I could manage (purchased as always from the USU Creamery) and sitting on the back steps with Suzy having a great time between customers." - Jerold Bishop

Here's a cool memento from the Highway 89 collection - an actual 1969 copy of the menu from the restaurant: http://highway89.org/items/show/10262

Totally vintage... if you can call it that.

"Linda and her friend Miss Davis posed inside my office counter at the motel. These girls spent a lot of time playing they were taking care of my customers." C. Don Bishop

      

        Those girls dresses are so retro....