SHELBURNE FALLS — Pondside Pizza opened Wednesday at 53 State St. under a new name, a new owner and with several specialty pizzas available — by the pie or by the slice.
The eatery, formerly known as Casey’s, has been renovated with counters and booth tables that are made from old bowling lanes from the Shelburne Falls Bowling Alley, which was built in 1906.
“One table actually has cigarette burns on it, from the guys that used to set up the bowling pins,” remarked Chad Flasinski, manager and master pizza-maker. He said the pin setters used to sit above the lanes, cigarettes in hand, and reset the bowling pins after each frame.
A 1998 Franklin County Technical School culinary program graduate, Flasinski attended a culinary college in New York, then learned the art of pizza dough-tossing while working at Villa DiMaio in Whately. After working at the West End Pub in Shelburne Falls, Flasinski became kitchen manager at Taylor’s Tavern for seven years before coming to Pondside.
“We’re trying to have a really great product,” he said.
Shelburne Falls Bowling Alley co-owner Tamarack Hanna had been looking for a way to offer food for the bowlers and the leagues in what is one of the oldest bowling alleys in the nation, when he learned the business was for sale.
“Bowling and pizza go together like peanut butter and jelly,” remarked Hanna. He said he would have liked to have food for bowlers at the bowling alley, but “there was no place in that 110-year-old building for a kitchen.”
“Now, you’ll be able to come and have your pizza, drinks and bowling all on one bill,” said Hanna.
For now, Pondside just sells pizza and soft drinks; but there is a choice of 16 toppings and three sauces for pizzas made to order. Toppings range from Romano cheese, mushrooms, olives and pepperoni to roasted red peppers, artichokes, sausage, grilled chicken, ham and bacon. The sauces include a house-made tomato sauce, a white sauce of ricotta, spices and garlic butter, or a basil pesto.
The pies are $10.50 for a 14-inch small pie and $14 for a 20-inch large, with toppings extra. Slices are $2.50 for plain cheese pizza or $3 for a slice with toppings.
Named for the “State and North” street intersection where the pizzeria is located, one specialty pizza is half chicken-and-bacon, half ham-and-pineapple.
In summer, Pondside will put out the picnic tables and offer soft-serve ice cream, as past establishments have done at that location.
Pondside Pizza is open every day except Tuesdays. Hours Sunday through Thursday are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The phone number is 413-489-3349.