This branch of the Howard Johnson’s franchise was located at 7801 Normandale Blvd. in Bloomington.

It was opened in 1963, according to the kind source of the photo below, Gary Phillips.  The daughter of the superintendent on the job says that it was built by Built by Rauenhorst Construction.

The lounge was called the Double Bubble Bar, and served a wicked drink with the same name.  Nothing comes up in a search except gum and pick-up truck toppers, so we’ll have to take that as a Facebook fact.  One would hope that there would at least be a piano in the place, but there’s no guarantee.

The property with that address in 2020 is apparently a closed Chili’s restaurant.  Although easy to see from Highways 100 and 494, the interchange makes the location difficult to get to, which probably contributed to the motel’s demise.