​An iron in the fire

Jonny B’s Brickhouse is not just a hotspot for fine wood fire pizzas, wings, sandwiches, and craft beers. Proprietor Jon Beyer also has a nose for community. When Jamestown North Dakota’s Pizza Hut closed its doors after 30 years Beyer saw an opportunity to reinstate a pizza-fueled reading program in the town of less than 16,000 called “Jonny B's Book Buddies.” much like Pizza Hut’s “Book it!” program in which students are rewarded with a personal pan pizza once they could prove to their teacher they made their monthly reading goal.

The High Plains Reader had a chance to chat with Beyer about the program, tasty brews, and the space itself.

High Plains Reader: Can you tell us the origins of Jonny B's--Who is Jonny B?

Jon Beyer: Jonny B's Brickhouse was started by me, Jon Beyer, and my business partner Tom Schultz. For years I have been working on my pizza recipe at home and have taken that to the next level in my restaurant. We use a true wood-fired oven which is part of what makes our pizza so good.

HPR: Can you tell us a bit about the woodfire oven that you use?

JB: The wood fire oven we use was actually made in Los Angeles, California. We actually purchased the oven from a family in Boston, Massachusetts, who inherited the restaurant from their grandparents. Their new concept had no need for the oven, so we scooped it up and had it moved to Jamestown, North Dakota. The oven weighed in at about three tons and we had to remove all the windows in the front of our building to get the oven inside.

HPR: The restaurant is an absolutely beautiful space, with its exposed bricks and natural light--can you tell us a bit about the space itself?

JB: We are located downtown Jamestown and the abstract on our building actually dates back to 1893. We did all the renovations ourselves with a LOT of help from our friends and family. The entire experience was very exciting. We found gorgeous vaulted peaks that were covered up over the hundred years of the building's existence and then discovered that at one point these peaks had huge windows/skylights.

We brought the building back to its former glory by taking the walls down to the original brick and reopened the skylights and vaulted peaks. We lined the ceiling and bar with knotted hickory which we got rough cut, straight from a mill in South Dakota. Instead of staining or painting the wood we actually used a process called pickling to bring out the grains with a beautiful patina.

HPR: You also have the largest selection of craft beers between Fargo and Bismarck. How many beers do you have on tap and how do you make your selections?

JB: We have 24 beers on tap and focus mostly on craft beer and regionally brewed beers. We are currently working with Frank Clemens at Flatland Brewery in West Fargo where they have started brewing a brown ale specifically for Jonny B's Brickhouse!

HPR: Can you tell us a bit about "Jonny B's Book Buddies"--How is that going ?

JB: When pizza hut in Jamestown closed we had just recently opened. As a child I loved the book-it reading program and the best part was getting that personal pizza as a reward! After realizing that thousands of children wouldn't be able to redeem their rewards we decided that we would honor the book-it coupons through the end of the school year.

This year we have started a new reading program, "Jonny B's Book Buddies.” With this program we have already committed to providing over 6000 personal pizzas to the children in our community and hope the kids read enough to get even more free pizza.

We will also be rewarding one class in each school with a pizza party where I will come out and personally read a story to the kids. The schools are very excited that we have taken on the reading program and I believe it will be a huge success.

At the end of the day I just really enjoy helping children. I am a member of the El Zagal Shrine Mystics in Jamestown, where we raise money for the Shrine Hospitals for Children. We enjoy doing everything we can "FTC" or "For The Children.” If we all strive to have a positive role in their lives so we help build a better future for everyone!

YOU SHOULD KNOW

Jonny B’s Brickhouse

215 1st Ave. South, Jamestown ND

For more information check out their facebook page.