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People Online Are Cracking Up At These 40 Buildings Attempting To Hide Their Previous Purpose Shared In This Online Group
Upcycling, reinventing and repurposing—everything and anything can contribute to a building’s new shiny life. Converting buildings is quite common and sometimes the change is quite radical: a gym that previously was a church, a mall that was converted into a school, or a Target turned Walmart. This one group on Reddit called /r/NotFoolingAnybody that has 21.2k members is dedicated to “photos of buildings that have been converted to other uses, yet still strongly resemble their former use.”
And deliberately or not, the new management chooses to recycle some details, like using the letters from the font of the previous business and sometimes even keeping the same logos. The funniest thing is that you can often tell that the masterminds repurposing the building or sign either had too much wit or too little fantasy. Either way, it’s pretty entertaining and below are the best examples of that, so don’t forget to vote for your favorite ones.
More info: Reddit
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Former KFC In Maiden, Nc Now A Mexican Restaurant. Col. Sanders Is Now Col. Sanchez
Even though a place is converted to an urgent care center, the building decoration is still definitely reminiscent of a hut that used to sell pizza, and a church in this town adorned with UV lights and no more crosses is repurposed to be a nightclub. Usually the shape of the building that used to be a brand that follows the company’s specs is the main giveaway, but it also seems that some of the new owners of the places couldn't be bothered to remove the previous logos.
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#2
Blockbuster Got Converted To A Book Store
What is really impressive is the repurposing of shopping malls into schools, which, when you really think about it, can make perfect sense as there are large communal areas and what used to be retail shops that can serve as different classrooms. And what student wouldn’t like to have escalators to go from one floor to another?
#3
Dead Mall Turned Into College Building. Stores Were Converted Into Classrooms
Quite a few submissions by people are pictures of former gas stations and car washes. Businesses such as Dunkin Doughnuts or Starbucks are taking advantage of the parts of the building that are suitable for a convenient drive thru. And let’s face it, going into an old flamboyant Art Deco building that is now a Walgreens definitely makes you feel at least a tiny bit more sophisticated.
#4
Church In My Local Town Converted Into A Nightclub
Petra Schaap 3 years ago
Paradiso in Amsterdam, Oran Mor in Glasgow, both church turned into live venues. Its a nice way to keep the buildings. Paradiso looks gorgeous on the inside, Oran Mor looks nice on the outside. Why leave it empty? Also in Maastricht in the Netherlands an old church turned into a bookshop/coffee bar. i know theres many more
Mary Rose Kent 3 years ago
Bookshop/coffee bar sounds lovely. People still hang out, just for different reasons.
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SoozeeQ 3 years ago
There's an old porn theatre in Hawaii that got converted into a church! We drove past it on a bus tour. Cant remember the name of it though. Our tour guide thought it was ironic!
cassiushumanmother 3 years ago
"That's my familiarrr favorrite place" Nandor the Relentlessss
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Terd Fergison 3 years ago
God partied so hard that he slept through the entire holocaust.
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Id row 3 years ago
The Limelight was the ultimate, that place was so cool. The 90's were so fun.
RoseTheMad 3 years ago
Pretty common tbh, the acoustics in church halls are great, after all. Like Jalou in York, though I will admit that place, whilst looking awesome has "meh" cocktails and not the greatest service.. (the devil's pit in Manchester however... whilst not a church, is a great club, though it is a metal club lol)
Ms LaDonna 3 years ago
it's finally useful! Denver did this also and it was a great place to party.
Fluffy Griffin 3 years ago
There was a church near me that converted to a nightclub for maybe 20 years and then converted back to a church within the last 10 years.
Fluffy Griffin 3 years ago
https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/2013/11/08/former-clutch-cargo-nightclub-in-pontiac-turning-into-a-church/
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Robert Bois le Duc 3 years ago (edited)
There's one in Vermont that's now a pharmacy. I saw one turned into a skating rink, another is a Donut Shop. They make cool houses too.
shado 3 years ago
reminds me of THE MONASTERY after hours club in Seattle WA ... where it always seemed to be raining (even on the cloudless of nights) when you stood in line outside, where they had the sprinklers going image-merg...e07541.png 
Israel Martinez 3 years ago
Limelight club in NYC, also, was formerly a church ... then it became a marketplace and is now a fitness location ...
Molly Block 3 years ago
I LOVE THIS!! I don't think this is sad at all. I think it makes me wanna scream, "Hallelujah! Let's parrrrrtay at The Pulpit!" If that was my nightclub, that is what I would have named it. And "Party at the Pulpit" would be on every events poster I handed out. You've gotta admit, it's kind of catchy!
The Chosen One 3 years ago
AAAAHAHAHAAAA WOW THAT'S WHAT THEY CONVERTED A FREAKING CHURCH INTO!?
H Edwards 3 years ago
There are a few clubs in London housed in converted church buildings
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Zoltán Végh 2 years ago
At last... We need more of this thype of cenversion. Too many religious (= BS) place are on the world.
Shawn Wright 3 years ago
"This Disco Used To Be A Cute Catherdral"-It was the name of a Christian song from back in the 80s. I don't remember the group, unfortunately.
Terd Fergison 3 years ago
If god is a DJ, he only plays in the minds of schizophrenics and people with other mental illnesses. Otherwise he is playing the longest game of hide and seek.
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Strawberry Hellcat 3 years ago
Straight out of "Venture Bros." - the next incarnation for the building should be an upscale market so Shore Leave can have a hissy fit that it's no longer a nightclub. 🤣
Terd Fergison 3 years ago
The abrahamic gods deserve nothing but scorn, disrespect, and ridicule. They are the most evil fictional character of all human invention.
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#5
This CVS In An Old Bank
#6
A Bank Converted To Mcdonalds
#7
A Church Converted To A Grocery Store
#8
A Former Cricket Wireless Is Now A Chicken Restaurant
#9
Church Turned Into A Gym
#10
Former Gas Station, Turned Into A Subway With Outdoor Seating - Gypsum, Co
#11
Taco Bell --> Law Office
#12
Former Woolworths, Now A Walgreens. It Feels Like A Happy Accident That The Historic "W" Letter Still Works For The Building.
Jo Johannsen 3 years ago
I miss Woolworths and Newberry's -they weren't high class but were fun.
#13
Dunkin’ Doughnuts Drive Thru In A Former Gas Station Car Wash.
#14
Church Converted To A Tattoo Parlor
#15
This Starbucks Drive-Thru In An Old Car Wash
Happy Daihatsu 3 years ago
Don't be rude to employees or you'll be getting a Grande chunk of soap in your Vegan Non-Fat Chai Tea Latte Mocha Frappuccino Macchiato
#16
The Local College Bought A Walmart
surprised pikachu 3 years ago
This is more common than you think. In my area we have a charter school in an old home depot.
#17
House Converted To Burger King - Columbus, Ga
#18
A Former Burger King Listed Online As A Townhouse
#19
An Old Paint Store Converted To A Dvd Store
#20
Former Hot Topic Now Veterans Museum Denton, Tx
Becky Klebe 3 years ago
If the mall gets decent foot traffic, a museum like this might get more visitors than it would as a stand-alone. If my local mall had something like this, I'd go in.
#21
Amazing
#22
The Owners Ended Their Quiznos Franchise But Wanted To Run A Sandwich Shop Still
#23
This CVS In Dc Used To Be A Movie Theater
#24
Former Movie Theatre, Now A Library
Joseph E Fasciani 3 years ago
Absolutely perfect: this looks as flawless as the above Walgreens.
#25
An Orthodontist's Office Used To Be A Blockbuster - Hinesville, Ga
#26
A Wendy's In A Former Bank, Location Unknown
#27
Hah! Can't Fool Me. That Used To Be A Taco B...wait
#28
Nickelodeon Studios! It Has Been Painted Over But You Can Still Tell What It Used To Be
#29
Hollywood Video Converted To A Furniture Store
#30
An Old Hollywood Video Is Now Hollywood Smokin'
#31
This Dominos In My Home Town Of Keyser Wv Was A Phillip's 66 Gas Station And Garage In The Early 80's
#32
KFC Converted To Thai Restaurant
#33
Former Target Turned Into A Walmart, They Painted The Target Orbs Yellow Instead Of Removing Them
Baby Panda 3 years ago
i love vaulting over the target balls lol i will never get too old for it
#34
Old Hollister Now A Book Store
#35
Big Woodys Sports Bar (Bethlehem, Pa)
Joseph E Fasciani 3 years ago
It's perfect, absolutely perfect. One stop, slop till ya drop! Ya gotta love it all.
#36
Classic Movie Theater Converted Into A Walgreens
#37
Dollar Tree In A Former Church, Location Unknown
#38
Taboo Adult Superstore, Formerly Taco Bell
#39
This Used To Be A Majestic Liquor Store. The New Owners Really Stretched Themselves With This One.
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What do you think ?
Thorfin Wolfsbane 3 years ago
I don't know why everyone's so upset with old churches not being churches anymore. They were scams to start with and I'm glad they failed.
Seabeast 3 years ago
They're big buildings and tend to be well built - no reason not to reuse them when a congregation can no longer afford to keep them.
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Sista of the moon 3 years ago
Lol idk why but wanted to share: our local strip club has outdoor seating now 😳
Ploploplop 3 years ago
I live in Portland, the strip club capitol of the world. A lot of them serve good food and people will eat outside to avoid the entry fee. I've never been to one, but coworkers will say, "let's go to Acropolis for lunch". I figured they were going to see strippers, turns out they were really into their burgers.
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Katie Bear 3 years ago
At least the buildings are being used. I hate when buildings are derelicts because people won't sell them and they are still perfectly usable.
Petra Schaap 3 years ago
for all the nay sayers that dont like repurposing churches, would you rather have them just stand there empty, or demolished? They were not being used anymore. Its not that the people were chased out.
s. vitkovitsky 3 years ago
Converting them into lofts would create very attractive and unique living spaces.
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Laura Nicole 3 years ago
I lived in an old post office that had been converted into shops, that was built in 1910, it was so cool, original doors and stained-glass windows. I loved it
Mary Rose Kent 3 years ago
So you lived in a shop? That aside, that was an era of gorgeous architecture.
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Finn Jager 3 years ago
Clever buying, instead of failed make-overs, that is what this post is TRULY about.
Angeline Shalyn 3 years ago
A strip club in anchorage Alaska where I live was turned into a church recently , lmfao.
shado 3 years ago
well ... not to state the obvious but ... it IS Alaska, and it DID have that crazy religious woman, claiming to 'wave at Russia from her porch' running things for a while there ... (need I say more?)
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Jackson Gohn 3 years ago
Which one of them are "attempting to hide their previous purpose"? Why do you change your titles twice a day, bored panda?
Jaybird3939 3 years ago
I'm glad these places were converted. So much better than abandoned, rotting buildings.
Blue of the yams 3 years ago
There's a mosque in my home town that I'm fairly certain used to be either a house or a Mexican restaurant
Craig Silberman 3 years ago
have you seen the mural in the Mexican restaurant that used to be a Chinese restaurant? they painted sombreros on the panda bears and hung a couple of pinatas in the trees
Leo Domitrix 3 years ago
No pic, but our local DMV office is being "phased out" (read: closed down forever) so the building is up for grabs. Ideas what to do with an old DMV, anyone?
Roger Haywood 3 years ago
In my home city of Derby UK, we have a pub called "The Standing Order". It used to be a bank.
Yelena Yardeen 3 years ago
This just made me dismayed at how brands even have trademark building shapes
Becky Moore 3 years ago
I know it's good that they're not left empty, but It makes me irrationally sad that places close down. I worked at Blockbusters, it was the best place to work. Damn streaming movies ruining VHS rentals, haha!
Chaotic_pansexual 3 years ago
Can everyone please stop hating on certain religions? It’s not okay. If your views are that Christianity and the Bible are stupid, that’s fine, but please keep it to yourself. Please just be nice to each other. There’s no reason to make people who believe in Christ or the Bible feel bad because you don’t like it. You know what started the Holocaust? Discrimination against certain people and their beliefs. Am I saying this is anything of those proportions? Absolutely not, but it’s the same idea: calling a certain religion dumb or bad just because you don’t agree with it. Some people are going to be upset over the churches and if they are, let them be. If I were to take something really important to you away you’d be upset too. So please guys just be nice? I come on here to be happy and to escape from what’s going on and I don’t want to feel ashamed of myself here too. I liked the article though, I think it’s really cool. Please stay safe everyone
Terd Fergison 3 years ago
When christianity ruled the world, it ruled it with an iron fist. Christians used to torture and kill people for saying that the sun is the center of our planetary system. Christians used to torture and kill nonbelievers. Now you have the balls to complain when someone speaks the truth? Nonbelievers are allowed to speak out. Christians killed enough of our ancestors. If we don’t speak out, they were killed for nothing.
Load More Replies...
Terd Fergison 3 years ago
Not to the children and people raped in churches.
Load More Replies... Aliquid A 3 years ago
Should they bulldoze the church down instead? What else are they supposed to do with it?
Load More Replies... Thorfin Wolfsbane 3 years ago
I don't know why everyone's so upset with old churches not being churches anymore. They were scams to start with and I'm glad they failed.
Seabeast 3 years ago
They're big buildings and tend to be well built - no reason not to reuse them when a congregation can no longer afford to keep them.
Load More Replies... Sista of the moon 3 years ago
Lol idk why but wanted to share: our local strip club has outdoor seating now 😳
Ploploplop 3 years ago
I live in Portland, the strip club capitol of the world. A lot of them serve good food and people will eat outside to avoid the entry fee. I've never been to one, but coworkers will say, "let's go to Acropolis for lunch". I figured they were going to see strippers, turns out they were really into their burgers.
Load More Replies... Katie Bear 3 years ago
At least the buildings are being used. I hate when buildings are derelicts because people won't sell them and they are still perfectly usable.
Petra Schaap 3 years ago
for all the nay sayers that dont like repurposing churches, would you rather have them just stand there empty, or demolished? They were not being used anymore. Its not that the people were chased out.
s. vitkovitsky 3 years ago
Converting them into lofts would create very attractive and unique living spaces.
Load More Replies... Laura Nicole 3 years ago
I lived in an old post office that had been converted into shops, that was built in 1910, it was so cool, original doors and stained-glass windows. I loved it
Mary Rose Kent 3 years ago
So you lived in a shop? That aside, that was an era of gorgeous architecture.
Load More Replies... Finn Jager 3 years ago
Clever buying, instead of failed make-overs, that is what this post is TRULY about.
Angeline Shalyn 3 years ago
A strip club in anchorage Alaska where I live was turned into a church recently , lmfao.
shado 3 years ago
well ... not to state the obvious but ... it IS Alaska, and it DID have that crazy religious woman, claiming to 'wave at Russia from her porch' running things for a while there ... (need I say more?)
Load More Replies... Jackson Gohn 3 years ago
Which one of them are "attempting to hide their previous purpose"? Why do you change your titles twice a day, bored panda?
Jaybird3939 3 years ago
I'm glad these places were converted. So much better than abandoned, rotting buildings.
Blue of the yams 3 years ago
There's a mosque in my home town that I'm fairly certain used to be either a house or a Mexican restaurant
Craig Silberman 3 years ago
have you seen the mural in the Mexican restaurant that used to be a Chinese restaurant? they painted sombreros on the panda bears and hung a couple of pinatas in the trees
Leo Domitrix 3 years ago
No pic, but our local DMV office is being "phased out" (read: closed down forever) so the building is up for grabs. Ideas what to do with an old DMV, anyone?
Roger Haywood 3 years ago
In my home city of Derby UK, we have a pub called "The Standing Order". It used to be a bank.
Yelena Yardeen 3 years ago
This just made me dismayed at how brands even have trademark building shapes
Becky Moore 3 years ago
I know it's good that they're not left empty, but It makes me irrationally sad that places close down. I worked at Blockbusters, it was the best place to work. Damn streaming movies ruining VHS rentals, haha!
Chaotic_pansexual 3 years ago
Can everyone please stop hating on certain religions? It’s not okay. If your views are that Christianity and the Bible are stupid, that’s fine, but please keep it to yourself. Please just be nice to each other. There’s no reason to make people who believe in Christ or the Bible feel bad because you don’t like it. You know what started the Holocaust? Discrimination against certain people and their beliefs. Am I saying this is anything of those proportions? Absolutely not, but it’s the same idea: calling a certain religion dumb or bad just because you don’t agree with it. Some people are going to be upset over the churches and if they are, let them be. If I were to take something really important to you away you’d be upset too. So please guys just be nice? I come on here to be happy and to escape from what’s going on and I don’t want to feel ashamed of myself here too. I liked the article though, I think it’s really cool. Please stay safe everyone
Terd Fergison 3 years ago
When christianity ruled the world, it ruled it with an iron fist. Christians used to torture and kill people for saying that the sun is the center of our planetary system. Christians used to torture and kill nonbelievers. Now you have the balls to complain when someone speaks the truth? Nonbelievers are allowed to speak out. Christians killed enough of our ancestors. If we don’t speak out, they were killed for nothing.
Load More Replies... Terd Fergison 3 years ago
Not to the children and people raped in churches.
Load More Replies... Aliquid A 3 years ago
Should they bulldoze the church down instead? What else are they supposed to do with it?
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