A new restaurant serving wood-fired pizza is planned in the Five Forks area of Danville.
Jeramy Nichols said he hopes to open the eatery at 807 Pine St. in the middle of August.
Though the name of the restaurant is not yet official, it will likely be Dog Daze Wood-Fired Oven, Nichols said.
With his upcoming establishment focusing on Neapolitan-style pizza, salad, ice cream and gelato, Nichols wants to open up a neighborhood gathering space like the ones he knew growing up near Pittsburgh.
“We’re trying to create a community hangout,” Nichols told the Danville Register & Bee.
The pizza will be cooked at 800-900 degrees Fahrenheit for about 80 to 90 seconds, Nichols explained. The method involves more hydration in the dough and allows it to puff up without burning, he said.
He plans to use organic flour and as much locally-sourced ingredients as possible, he said.
Nichols, who also owns Old Oak Wood & Stone, said he bought the Pine Street property about seven or eight years ago.
“I always figured I’d do something with it,” he said.
On Thursday afternoon, the city of Danville’s Commission of Architectural Review unanimously voted to approve a certificate of appropriateness for Nichols to install an awning with outdoor seating and a monument sign with lighting and to replace the existing garage door at the property.
Interior decor will include murals on the walls and old tobacco carts from his former Old Oak warehouse used as tables, Nichols said.
The bar will include 10 beer taps and a liquor bar, he said.
Dog Daze will not be a full-service restaurant. Customers will place their orders at the counter, Nichols said.
As for the building, it was built in the early 1900s and was originally a Jewish meat market, he said. It has housed numerous businesses over the years, including a service station and a laundromat, Nichols said.
Five Forks is in the vicinity of the Old West End and downtown, and includes the area where Pine Street, Jefferson Street and Jefferson Avenue meet, as well as Loyal Street toward downtown.
The area has historically been a commercial part of the city and local officials want to revitalize it.
The restaurant will have about 12-15 employees and will be open Thursday through Monday and closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Original Article Here (by John Crane, Danville Register & Bee)