The Broad Ripple Pizza King opened in mid-August at 1904 Broad Ripple Avenue. They serve a variety of pasta, starters, (breadsticks, cheese quesadillas, chicken quesadillas, french fries, garlic bread, potato skins and soup), subs, sandwiches, salads and thin crust pizza. They can satisfy the heartiest of Hoosier appetites who call 253-2530 and they feature dine-in, carry out and delivery. Their hours of operation are 11 am to 11 pm Monday through Thursday, 11 am to midnight on Friday and Saturday, and noon to 10 pm on Sunday.

"We are in Broad Ripple for reason. We have a personal interest in this community. All of our employees either currently live in this area or have deep family ties to it. It is our goal to create a family atmosphere because we are a family owned and operated business. We also have a genuine interest and commitment to supporting youth groups and our local schools," Manager Carl Truby explained.

Broad Ripple Pizza King offers group discounts for teams and will be hosting St. Pius X's Tiger Cub Den. They will be having pizza parties to serve as prizes for some area school fundraisers.

"Going forward, we will continue offering coupons. We are in the process of installing a TV for the enjoyment of our patrons and, while maintaining our current menu, we plan on adding a new item here or there in an effort to keep our customers happy," Truby added.

His brother-in-law, who is affiliated with MV Restaurants, owned the building and decided to open a Pizza King there. He purchased the location near the end of the Tin Star restaurant's 30 plus year presence on the avenue.

"We decided to give the restaurant an extensive makeover with a sports theme. We removed the jail cells that were located in the basement and decided to only use the upstairs for now," Truby said.

Most Pizza King restaurants have a model train running in them, but the Broad Ripple Pizza King features unique sports memorabilia. There are photos of the 1980 USA Gold Medal Hockey Team that upset the former Soviet Union, the Kentucky Derby's 1973 Triple Crown Winner Secretariat and the Masters Golf Tournament. Individual autographed photos of Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Pete Rose and John Daly can also be seen in the restaurant as well as former National Hockey League legend and Indianapolis Racer Wayne Gretzsky's hockey stick.

Truby grew up in Hawaii. His parents served in the military and he followed in their footsteps. Enlisting with the Army, he served three years of active duty and 12 years as a Reservist. He saw action in Baghdad with the XVIII Airborne Corps and is currently a Staff Sergeant. Many of his years of military service have been in Seattle, but he has also served in Kuwait, Panama and Saudi Arabia.

Truby's brother, Chris, played third base for the Indianapolis Indians this past season after playing major league baseball with the Houston Astros, Montreal Expos, Detroit Tigers, Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Kansas City Royals. He will begin coaching the Pittsburgh Pirates next year. Chris' family lives in Indiana, which brought Carl to the Hoosier state at the end of 2005.

"Among restaurant patrons, the Royal Feast Pizza and Stromboli sandwich are big favorites," Truby noted. The Stromboli that I ordered during a recent afternoon visit was so delicious and filling that I skipped dinner that evening. Other menu items are equally palatable. Their thin crust pizzas include the Royal Feast, Deluxe, Veggie, BBQ, BBQ Chicken, Hawaiian and Cheese. Small pizzas are 10 inches, medium pizzas are 14 inches and large pizzas are 16 inches. Their toppings include pepperoni, sausage, Italian sausage, ground beef, ham, chicken, bacon, extra cheese, onions, green and red peppers, fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, pineapples and black olives.

The Broad Ripple Pizza King has free delivery from 42nd street to the South, 86th Street to the North, Rocky Ripple to the West and Binford Boulevard to the East, but they do require a minimum $15 delivery order when you call 253-2530. Dine in and carry out is also available.

With the diverse variety of pizzas, salads and subs served in a friendly family-oriented environment, the Broad Ripple Pizza King has the potential to reign supreme in Indianapolis.