Fountain Square Theatre
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox building
| name = Fountain Square Theatre
| image = Fountain Square Theatre in Indianapolis.jpg
| coordinates = {{Coord|39.7521|-86.1396|type:landmark_region:US-IN|display=inline,title}}
| 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.{{Cite news |last=Hickman |first=Walter |date=May 4, 1928 |title=FOUNTAIN SQUARE THEATER IS GRAND |pages=21 |work=The Indianapolis Times |url=https://newspapers.library.in.gov/?a=d&d=IPT19280504.1.21&srpos=1&e=------192-en-20--1--txt-txIN-%22Fountain+Square+Theater%22------ |access-date=February 20, 2023}} Fountain Square Recreation, a bowling alley and billiard hall, was located on the fourth floor.{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://fountainsquareindy.com/historic-fountain-square-building/ |access-date=February 20, 2023 |website=Fountain Square Indy}} Frank Baldwin Hunter of Indianapolis was the architect.
Closures and restoration
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.{{Cite web |last=Lynch |first=Amy |date=September 25, 2015 |title=Cool Job: Linton Calvert helped rebuild Fountain Square |url=https://www.indystar.com/story/money/2015/09/25/cool-job-linton-calvert-helped-rebuild-fountain-square/72636986/ |access-date=April 25, 2023 |website=The Indianapolis Star}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Olson |first=Scott |date=November 9, 2017 |title=Longtime owner of Fountain Square Theatre sells building |url=https://www.ibj.com/articles/66233-longtime-owner-of-fountain-square-theatre-sells-building |access-date=April 25, 2023 |website=Indianapolis Business Journal}} In 2022 Calvert sold all six businesses to local wedding venue operators.{{Cite web |last=Triplett |first=Divine |date=Jul 15, 2022 |title=Wedding venue operator purchases 6 businesses in Fountain Square Theatre building |url=https://www.wishtv.com/news/local-news/wedding-venue-operator-purchases-6-businesses-in-fountain-square-theatre-building/ |access-date=April 25, 2023 |website=WISHTV}}
File:Fountain Square Theatre, 1101-1115 South Shelby Street, c1996 (Indianapolis, Ind.) - DPLA - 0a6c989a2877dbdb05db049f5bb6c0ea.jpg|alt=
File:Fountain Square Theatre, 1101-1115 South Shelby Street, c1996 (Indianapolis, Ind.) - DPLA - 4921a1c72116934f1d929ed4910850cf.jpg
File:Fountain Square Theatre, 1101-1115 South Shelby Street, c1996 (Indianapolis, Ind.) - DPLA - 4ad9f85aa7ef6432ef390f2b1bac5035.jpg
File:Fountain Square Theatre, 1101-1115 South Shelby Street, c1996 (Indianapolis, Ind.) - DPLA - c999db52eb9e152580ad046996ede932.jpg
File:Fountain Square Theatre, 1101-1115 South Shelby Street, c1996 (Indianapolis, Ind.) - DPLA - 77926c799f2392b97454acba26f3f248.jpg