| Fountain Square Theatre | |
| Opened Date: | May 4th, 1928 |
| Architect: | Frank Baldwin Hunter |
The Fountain Square Theatre is a theater in Indianapolis, Indiana that now houses restaurants, bars, a hotel, duckpin bowling, as well as the original theater. Construction of the building was completed on Friday, May 4, 1928, with an original capacity of 1,500. It hosted a variety of entertainment including moving pictures and live vaudeville shows which included a full orchestra pit and Marr-Colton organ. The Theatre had its official opening on Saturday, May 5, 1928, and was noted for its Italian themed interior.[1] Fountain Square Recreation, a bowling alley and billiard hall, was located on the fourth floor.[2] Frank Baldwin Hunter of Indianapolis was the architect.
By 1957 the fourth-floor bowling alley closed followed by the theatre closing in 1960. Following the closure of the theatre, Woolworth's moved into the ground floor, but closed by the end of the 1960s.
In 1993 Linton Calvert purchased the building for $600,000 and started restoring it. Calvert was interesting in the building due to its past housing a bowling alley. Once renovated, he installed a duckpin bowling alley with original 1930's equipment that he had found in Columbia City, Indiana.[3] In 2017 a Chicago-based real estate firm, North Park Ventures LLC, purchased the building from Calvert for an undisclosed amount. Calvert was allowed to keep ownership of the businesses in the building.[4] In 2022 Calvert sold all six businesses to local wedding venue operators.[5]