Marriott Corp.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).

This article appears to contradict another article. Please see discussion on the talk page.

The original Hot Shoppes storefront

1930s postcard depicting The Hot Shoppes restaurant.

Marriott Corporation was a hospitality company that operated from 1929-1993. It was founded by J. Willard Marriott as Hot Shoppes, Inc.. In 1957, Marriott Corporation opened its first hotel in Arlington, Virginia as the Twin Bridges Motor Hotel.^[1] Marriott Corporation's first international property was opened in Acapulco, Mexico in 1969.^[2]

[edit] History

J. Willard Marriott started the company in 1927, when he operated a curbside food stand selling A&W Root Beer and hot tamales, in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C. at 14th Street and Park Road NW. He would later rename the food stand The Hot Shoppe. ^[3] ^[4]
Marriott's business expanded to Baltimore, Maryland in 1934, shortly after which the company started its food services division.
Hot Shoppes landed food service contracts with major airlines and The Pentagon, fueling the company's growth. In the 1950s, Hot Shoppes, Inc. started providing food services to public schools.
In 1967 Hot Shoppes, Inc. changes its name, becoming the Marriott Corporation.
In 1976, Marriott opened two theme parks called Marriott's Great America. The parks had replicas of the first Hot Shoppe. Both parks were sold in the mid-1980s.
In 1980, the company purchased the Howard Johnson's restaurant chain.
Marriott acquired Host International in 1982.
Marriott formed a vacation time-share division, now called Marriott Vacation Club International, and a senior-living division in 1984.
Marriott Food Services Management acquires Saga Corporation in 1986.
The Marriott Corporation ended it existence as a single company in 1993 when it was split into two separate entities,
- Marriott International Corporation which operated the hotel and lodging aspect of the business as well as Marriott Vacation Club International.
- Host Marriott Corporation became the new name for the original Marriott Corporation and it operated Marriott Food Services Management.