POULSBO — There’s no bigger proponent of pizza pie in Poulsbo than Chuck Wheeler. A lifelong fan of the dish, Wheeler has loved pizza ever since he can remember. Now, he’s taken his love to a higher level by opening Poulsbo Woodfired Pizza House downtown.

The independently owned pizza place has given Wheeler a conduit for what he’s learned in his some 15 years experience with pizza. He’s worked around the dish in one capacity or another – delivery driver, manager – in other kitchens in Washington and California. He recently decided it was time to take the plunge and open a place to call his own.

“I never intended to own a restaurant until it was obvious I was going to,” he said.

Everything on the pies is fresh, he said. The dough and sauce recipes are his own creations, derived from trial and error. He’s taken the best ideas from some of the best in the business and avoided what he considered the bad ideas to create a pizza he can eat five days a week. And he does.

A man of slender build, he has heard the phrase “never trust a skinny cook,” but that’s not the case here. He works off what he eats by chopping wood for the stove every day and by staying busy.

His father owns a tree farm in Quilcene, and Wheeler uses the leftover wood for his own pizza oven. It’s a symbiotic relationship, as it helps his father get rid of unusable wood and supplies Wheeler with what he needs to keep his oven operating.

Wheeler’s few spare moments of down time every day are spent creating paper airplanes (inspired by a gift of an origami book).

Individual pizza slices are offered all day. Pepperoni and some sort of veggie pizza is always available and a third option is always at the ready.

While Wheeler’s favorite is the House Special – pesto sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken and artichoke hearts — other pizzas include the Mexican pizza, with black beans, chorizo and olives; and meatball and onion.

In addition to fresh, low-sodium recipes, Woodfired Pizza House also has a room that’s big enough to host a group of up to 50 people. While beer and wine aren’t yet on the menu, he plans to offer those beverages by Viking Fest.

Delivery is available after 5 p.m. in certain areas.