Papa John's Coming to Downtown Seminole Heights

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After four years of languishing in the wake of the recession, a prime commercial property in the heart of Seminole Heights will soon host a Papa John's pizza shop.

In 2007, the former Leroy's 4 x 4 Automotive Center at 512 E. Hillsborough Ave. was poised to become the epicenter of the neighborhood's commercial revitalization. Located next to a then-new and an Interstate 275 off ramp, the 5,683-square-foot building seemed ripe for redevelopment. It was purchased by a group that proposed plans to put in a tapas restaurant, sushi bar and pub.

Then the recession hit, and everything stalled there until last week, when a Papa John's “coming soon” banner appeared on the building. Papa John's district marketing manager Grant Morris said the store is tentatively set to open June 20.

He added that the store will have a little more than 1,300 square feet, which is smaller than the typical Papa John's prototype. As such, Morris said the restaurant's production line will be altered to accommodate the store's size, similar to the Papa John's at 5130 S. Dale Mabry Highway in South Tampa. All Papa John's are take out and delivery only.

The Seminole Heights location was chosen to fill a delivery coverage gap in Central and downtown Tampa. “We were having difficulty finding locations near downtown, and areas that we've never delivered to before,” said Morris. The new store's delivery area boundaries will include Sligh Avenue to the north, North 30^th Street to the east boundary, and downtown with portions of Ybor City to the south.

Morris said he hasn't heard of what other businesses might occupy the remainder of the building, “But obviously it's going to come down to interest in the plaza,” he said. “With a strong brand like Papa John's, we will generate a lot of traffic coming in there.”

Property co-owner John Obediente said “hopefully more” businesses will be looking to move in next to Papa John's, but declined to comment further.

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Ginger Morgan owns , a stone's throw from Obediente's building. “The original plans were good,” she said, referring to the original mix of businesses that were proposed for the property, including a new version of Obediente's former South Tampa restaurant Sangria's. “But I'm just happy that something's going in there.”

Former Business Guild of Seminole Heights president Steve Quillian also welcomes the news.

“It's good to continue to put Seminole Heights on the map, as far as something that's recognizable,” Quillian said. “I think the fact that they want to locate here says something about the viability of local businesses here. Having an old building with no use just looks bad for the community.”

Morris said the new Papa John's will employ a staff of 20 to 25.

Papa John's was founded in Jeffersonville, IN, in 1986, and is currently headquartered in Louisville, KY. Morris said there's currently around 3,300 stores internationally, with 70 percent of them franchised. The Seminole Heights location will part of a franchise that includes 49 stores in the Tampa Bay area, Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale.