Muncie is spoiled for choice when it comes to good pizza. Whether it’s local staples like Mancino’s and Greek’s or chains like Hot Box and Papa Murphy’s, there’s a pie for every craving. For true dyed-in-the-wool locals, though, one name rises above the rest: Pizza King. During the pandemic, I took on a unique challenge- recreating one of its stores entirely out of LEGO bricks.
Pizza King is a regional phenomenon today, but Muncie’s first opened in 1958 on the west side of Tillotson Avenue, just south of Jackson Street1. A second soon debuted at Madison and Kirby. The chain was founded by Bob Swartz, but later took on other partners, including members of the Prather family, Jerry Riley, and Al Robinson1.
By 2005, the Muncie-based business had grown to forty-two company owned restaurants in twenty-five communities, more than 30 franchise stores, and more than fifty out-of-state franchises called Sir Pizza2. Today, they’re all over East-Central Indiana!
As a west-sider, My favorite Pizza King has long been the location on South Tillotson Avenue in Muncie. Originally a 30 x 72-square-foot block building, it was built in 1966 to replace the original restaurant that stood across the street where CVS now sits3. The structure was expanded over time and eventually took on its present appearance.Â
I got the idea to recreate the Tillotson Pizza King in LEGO a couple years ago. It was the middle of COVID, nothing was going on, and I had plenty of free time on my hands. I wound up downloading a program called BrickLink Studio that let me build with virtual bricks and render my designs. Soon after, I set out to design some outdoor warning sirens and a massive Muncie! As I pondered what made my city unique, I realized I’d have to include a Pizza King in my skyline.Â
Muncie’s LEGO skyline ballooned. Unfortunately, I ended up leaving Pizza King out of my finished Muncie skyline model to focus on downtown. I kept the design, though. Measuring 19x11x4 inches and made of 1,327 pieces, it was scaled to match the height of a LEGO minifig. The build was pretty simple, but the most challenging part was recreating the iconic Pizza King sign. After several attempts, I had a breakthrough stacking and pairing yellow tree leaf pieces! It was a quirky, imperfect solution, but necessity’s the mother of invention.
The rest of the building’s design was straightforward. The area around its greenhouse used some SNOT (studs-not-on-top) construction, but the rest was done with traditional building methods. I’m pleased with how I rendered the block letters above the main entrance, and I’m also happy with how the HVAC systems on the roof turned out. Those are always fun.
Four years after I designed it, I see some changes I’d like to make to the LEGO Pizza King. I’d try to find a way to make the sign thinner and I’d ease up on the landscaping; simple things like that. Unfortunately, the file’s marooned on an old computer and I never exported the instructions. There’s hope yet, though: I redownloaded BrickLink Studio onto my new computer and have spent some time forcing myself to remember how it works. Maybe a new LEGO Pizza King will emerge!
Sources Cited
1 Penticuff, D. (1997, July 27). Pizza the king’s way. The Muncie Star Press. p. 49.
2 McBride, M. (2005, October 23). Ring the King (long distance). The Muncie Star Press. p. 37.
3 Permit Issued For Restaurant (1966, November 14). The Muncie Evening Press. p. 16.
A. This is so COOL!
B. I ate at a Pizza King in Muncie a few years ago and loved it. Wonder if I ever wrote about that? Hmm. Anyway, if I lived closer I would be a regular. Everyone was so nice and the food was great!
Thanks Brandi! Pizza King is an acquired taste for some, but we sound simpatico in terms of our mutual appreciation of it. Sign me up for a large Royal Feast!
Very good!! Which Muncie Pizza King has the feel that it was last remodeled in 1971 and feels kind of cozy?
They’re pretty much all like that, with a couple recent exceptions. I bet you ate at the one I designed in LEGO, the one on Bethel Avenue near Ball State, or one on West Memorial.
I remember your trip to Muncie! You wrote about eating at Cammack Station, I think. It’s on the same street my neighborhood is, just about two miles west. When I was a kid in the 90s, I lived even closer. Back then, the (much smaller) building was called Pete’s Grocery. Pete would sell you a tootsie roll for a penny or make you a sandwich from his ever-present cooler of lunch meat. It was a shame when he retired, but I can’t argue with Cammack Station. It’s great!
What great memories! I liked Cammack Station but am sorry I missed Pete’s Grocery.
I just found the pictures from Pizza King and the map Apple provides is pretty much useless but I can see McGalliard Road.
It had a great vibe.
McGalliard is Muncie’s main commercial strip. I forgot about the Pizza King there! It definitely fits the vibe you describe.
If you’re a pizza connoisseur and ever make it back to Muncie for a few days, try Greek’s as well. It’s a lot different than the King, but they have some phenomenal veggie options. Their Roma pizza is to die for!
I will remember that for future reference! Place with good veggie options are rare and special.
If there’s enough room for two pizzas on your next trip here, Greek’s will completely satisfy!
There’s always room for more pizza!
I wholeheartedly agree!
It has been eons since I was at a Pizza King. Maybe I need to try it again.
And I admire those who can assemble large, complex LEGO kits. My admiration increases for those who can design them!
You should give it another whirl! I only eat it as a treat. It’s quite a bit pricier than the Hut or Papa John’s, both of which deliver while PK does not. It’s better than both by a long shot, though. Plus, quintessentially Muncie. For the better.
I recently put the LEGO app on my computer again after a four-year absence. It’s been a struggle getting back to the groove! Reclaiming my workflow has been a challenge largely because I forgot about the part descriptions and which pieces fit in which categories. It’s made my in-progress LEGO Meijer a real slog.