Wood-fired pizza comes to former bank building

County Line Fire has been warming up the old State Bank of Shelton building on Railroad Avenue since it opened in October, when the restaurant specializing in wood-fired pizza moved into the airy space.

Owner Tobi Robinson told the Journal he was overjoyed with the location.

"To renovate an old bank building!"

Robinson said he loves restaurants like the McMenamins brewpubs that rehabilitate historic properties.

"This is my dream restaurant," he said.

There's plenty of room for the most important feature, a huge gas-and wood-fired oven. The gas provides quick heat and the wood adds flavor, according to Robinson.

Pizzas cooked in the oven only take a few minutes and must be carefully observed. The floor of the oven is around 600 degrees F while the top can reach 1,000 degrees. The chef uses a long paddle-like device known as a "pizza peel" to frequently lift the pizza and check the bottom, making sure it doesn't burn.

"The perfectly cooked pizza is going to have this amber color on the bottom," Robinson said, and a little blistering and charring on the top.

County Line Fire uses dough that's been fermented for three days. It has a

"sourdough note" but doesn't use sourdough starter. The dough is brushed with house- made roasted garlic oil and topped with a blend of parmesan, mozzarella and other cheeses.

Four pizzas can cook at one time in the oven.

Robinson has been making pizzas for 24 years. His family started County Line Fire as a food truck business in 2021. The oven used on the food truck is entirely wood-burning. Robinson said he remembers having to fire up the oven at 4 a.m. to get proper heat for an afternoon wedding. Once the fire is at a good temperature, he puts "maybe a piece of wood on every hour," he said.

Robinson still uses the mobile pizza trailer for private catering events, but is really enjoying the restaurant's permanent home.

"Business has been good," he said.