For years, Little John's Pizza has held down the southeast corner of 21st & Race. In the last few weeks, a reader tells us, the little neighborhood shop that specialized in pizza and cheesesteaks shut its doors for good. Passing by the other day, we noticed that the store is under construction. At least that's what the paper in the windows would seem to suggest.

Former Little John's

According to the permits we sniffed out on the L&I Map, the space has already been modified. New windows have been installed, an old vestibule has been eliminated, and a new accessible entrance has been created. We wouldn't be sad to see the paneling on the facade come down, we're kind of curious to see if there's anything interesting behind it.

New addition to the Franklin Institute is right there

On the L&I Map, the permits are in the name of 21st Street Deli Inc, giving us the impression that the focus will perhaps shift from pizza to deli here. Then again, just because they're calling themselves a deli won't preclude them from selling whatever they please, right? Given the location, it should appeal to near neighbors and the sizeable tourist contingent that's constantly in this area. With the Franklin Institute just a block away and other museums nearby, this spot could easily become a favorite for out-of-towners. We'll be interested to see what concept pops up here once the construction wraps up.