Industry Birthplace of Budget Norfolk-born Econo-Travel, now the chain Econo Lodge, was the pioneer of budget . GARLAND POLLARD looks back at the formerly plaid-painted , whose groundbreaking first location still takes guests on Norfolk’s Military Highway.

In May of 1969, if you were anywhere profitable within 21 days. money in three years. Today, Choice around the intersection of Virginia It sold rooms for $7 single, has capital, international marketing Beach Boulevard and Military $9 double and $11 for four. strength (it owns Quality Inn, Comfort Highway in Norfolk, you might have Today, the hotel is owned Inn and Clarion, among other brands) seen a, ahem, hot-looking young by Hampton-based Allen and a diverse franchise base. “mascot” hanging around, named Management, which owns Today, Kevin Bradt, Econo Lodge’s Sandy Econo. Leggy “Sandy” was 13 Econo Lodges across senior director of brand strategy, dressed in short Scottish skirt and Virginia. Investor Lou Allen sees continued growth, though he tam, and she visited neighboring got involved in the Econo- has no plans to revive the Scottish businesses with brochures, telling Travel business early on as man. When Choice, of Silver Spring, them all about a new hotel concept one of the first franchisees, Maryland, bought the company at 865 Military Highway, called building a on in 1990, the chain was about 600 Econo-Travel. Mercury Boulevard properties and now includes more “No matter which office she in Hampton and later than 800. It has also gone outside visited, she got in,” recalls Lloyd acquiring the original. of the U.S. “There is plenty of room Tarbutton, a Norfolk businessman It hasn’t been all easy. for international expansion,” says Iand an initial partner in the venture, Franchisor-franchisee Brandt. “Econo Lodge already has which grew from a single location relations, always a a strong presence in Canada, and across from what became Military challenge in any sort of we currently are looking at other Circle Mall into a chain of 800 franchise business, have international markets.” hotels today under the brand Econo often been adversarial, The brand is no longer in the Lodge. As the chain grew, there but through it all, the extreme budget category—Choice wasn’t just one Sandy. Like Ronald Allens, and many other also owns , which is McDonald, there were many, and franchisees, have stuck even cheaper. But the brand is still when Tarbutton sold the chain in with the brand. Son growing. “Last year, Econo Lodge 1983, there were 309 locations, with Michael Allen, now had a record year in development, “Sandy” opening motels across the president of Allen and we continue to see great things eastern U.S. “As we got large, we Management, attributes ahead,” says Bradt. had to have more of them,” says the success to how Today, Sandy Econo is gone, but Tarbutton, now a resident of Naples, the brand weathered the company remains. Looking back, Florida, and Virginia Beach. downturns like the 1973 Tarbutton is glad he grasped at this Before (founded in 1972) investors interested in this, to no oil embargo. “Things went to hell,” opportunity that came in his door. and others, there was Econo-Travel, avail. Often Myers came to Tarbutton says Allen. “In better-off times, you And when asked, he dares to say that dreamed up by Norfolk developer with ideas. But “something just wouldn’t make as much. But in bad there was a bit of providence in it, as Vernon Myers and his son. They seemed to tell me this is right,” times, you wouldn’t go bankrupt.” well. “God gives us all the abilities,” were intent on creating a new recalls Tarbutton. Michael Allen started with the says Tarbutton. “If we want to use business category by filling an When Econo-Travel started, company in 1982; his brother Kevin them, it’s our choice.” important market need—a clean, had just quit a test is also involved. Their father, Lou, is He recently told his grandson, cheap hotel. They worked in the project called Holiday Inn Junior, and still chairman. While the product has just entering college, that he should same office building as Tarbutton Tarbutton had a hard time finding changed slightly over the years (sadly, stop worrying that everything has and one day came to him with financing, as the budget category of the kicky little Scottish man came off been done in business. Humans drawings for Econo-Travel, an idea hotels had been proven unsuccessful. the signs in the 1980s and the plaid always have new desires, and that that Tarbutton had been exploring, Tarbutton still took on the project, left in 1991), the chain is still focused will never change. “Everything too. Myers Jr. had drawn up a finding investors and money, and on budget travelers who choose to hasn’t been done,” says Tarbutton. prototype for the motel and was doing extensive market research to “Spend a night, not a fortune.” “There are still lots of opportunities. intent on selling the plans for $2,000. see if the concept would work. In The brand went through ups and Opportunities are not lost. They are “I have to give Mr. Myers some the creative process, they simplified downs and a number of owners after just picked up by somebody else.” credit,” says Tarbutton. “He always the costs of a hotel room and created the founders, including investor Ben A history is at elfa.org. Stay in history and saw opportunity.” Myers, who had many innovations now standard Douglas, who moved the company to make reservations at the first Econo Lodge at built much of 21st Street and another in the industry. For instance, most Charlotte. Between its founding and APlusLodging.com or ChoiceHotels.com. hotel called the Lafayette, created a hotels at the time had beds on legs. growth, tensions motel that was different. At that time, Tarbutton put the mattresses on grew between most hotels were full service. While not boxes, so maids wouldn’t have to the company and all had bellhops, the typical Holiday clean underneath and customers franchisees. But Inn, which ruled the road in those days, wouldn’t lose belongings. Telephone it “kept ticking,” had a restaurant, a pool and sometimes switchboards were automatic, maid says Allen, until it even a bellhop. All that was nice, but it closets were close to rooms and fell into the hands left a market for more basic rooms. managers even had an electric panel of investor Paul Myers’ son, Vernon Jr., had to shut off electricity to empty rooms. Wallace, whose fund drawn up the idea for an Econo- Later, Tarbutton even dared to try bought the brand Travel Motor Hotel. The motel had out an extreme innovation—the non- and then sold it to 48 rooms, a small lobby, a small smoking room. what is now Choice manager’s apartment and nothing The initial hotel on Military Hotels International, else. Myers had been trying to get Highway, built for $275,000, was about doubling his

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