Jimmy Belknap has always known the value of a hard day’s work. Raised on a cattle farm, he spent some time in the electrical industry before ultimately transferring to oil and gas. Today, he continues this long legacy of hard work––only now with a brick oven and wooden paddle. 

A Braxton County native, Belknap is the proud owner of Belknap Dough Company, a pizza shop in Hurricane, West Virginia. 

The idea came to fruition in 2017, and after three years of traveling in a mobile food trailer, Belknap unlocked the doors to their brand new storefront on Main Street. 

“I was working at an oil industry, Marathon Petroleum, out of Ashland, Kentucky,” continued Belknap, “I had a great job, and my life [was] mapped out––it just wasn’t, you know, I didn’t feel like my life was full enough. I always wanted more. I wanted to be my own boss.”

Believe it or not, Belknap is a self-taught pizza’ist. What started as an entrepreneurial dream led to a love for all things dough, especially pizza and handmade Neapolitan-style pies. 

“We were going into the food world, which neither one of us had any background in or any culinary experience outside of cooking in our home kitchen,” said Belknap. “We just saw a video one time about Brick Oven Pizza and figured it was the best option.”

Almost too good to be true, Belknap Dough Company isn’t just some West Virginian’s spin on reheated Tombstone Pizza. The pizza shop boasts a personalized brick oven from Italy and prides itself on providing the best local and fresh ingredients.

Favorites include their charcuterie board, Bianca and Margherita pizzas, and craft beer selection.

Belknap is married to his wife, Amber, and they reside in the Teays Valley area with their two children.

If you’d like to keep up with Jimmy and Belknap Dough Company, you can visit www.belknapdoughco.com.  

PWV QUICK BITS | JIMMY BELKNAP

  • RECOMMENDED RESOURCE: Anthony Mangieri, Pizza Guru
  • PIECE OF ADVICE: “Don’t bounce around with things. You want to find something and do it,” advised Belknap.