Papa John’s Restaurant

Sometimes a building’s architectural style is so identified with its original business that it’s hard to shake the association, even when the business is long gone. Here’s a photo gallery of bad building conversions around Indianapolis. Let me know about the ones you’ve spotted around town…

This Indian Restaurant on east 38th Street doesn’t disguise its former existence as a Pizza Hut very well.

Woo hoo! Let’s go to the Taco Bell Dentist!

Peggy’s Restaurant can try all it wants, but it’s no Lums Restaurant.

It’s not really that obvious at first, but if you look at Rancho Grande Restaurant near 86th and Ditch, you can see it used to be a Chinese Restaurant

The Fox Photo at 86th and Ditch is now Joey’s Produce. They should probably take down the digital services sign to make the complete transformation.

Jen’s theory that this lighting store on 38th Street might be a former Arthur Treacher’s Fish and Chips is close, but I think it might not be the case after comparing the signs. (Update – it was a Laughner’s Cafeteria!)

They tried adding some Asian design adornment to the windows, but it’s pretty obvious that Tokyo Joe’s started life as a Noble Roman’s.

However, they do have a great “Lunh Buffet.”

I’m not certain, but I think this Pawn shop used to be a Steak place.

Indianapolis residents were devastated when the Roslyns Bakeries all over town closed, and even more upset when their classic “googie” style signs were converted to Cash and Go signs.

This former Ponderosa on east Washington now serves up Chinese food

As does this one on 10th and Shadeland. Notice the nice Ponderosa landscape image still in place.

This Long John Silvers ended up being an auto service place/tax preparer.

The Blockbuster sign doesn’t quite hide that this building used to be a Papa John’s Restaurant.

I recognize the original building as a restaurant, but can’t quite put a name to it. It wasn’t a Napa Auto Parts, though. Was it a steakhouse?