Olio Pizzeria's West Third Original Shuts Down the Wood-Fired Oven on December 10

Olio Pizzeria, which anchored an important intersection in West Third Street, is closing down come December 10 after five years on the block. Chef/owner Brad Kent wrote in a tearful letter saying that they loved serving the community over the years. Kent stresses that Olio is not closing because of slow business, but rather because they're ending the terms of the lease. That could indicate that the landlord is raising rents to an unsustainable or unappetizing level for Olio.

This news comes a few days after Mother Dough's impending closure in Los Feliz, which could signal that the fast casual pizza chains (800 Degrees and such) are affecting the more artisanal places. Or perhaps that it's simply harder to run a pizza-focused restaurant in Los Angeles.

Kent continues to run Olio Pizzeria's kiosk at Grand Central Market, and remains on the staff at Blaze Pizza as that fast casual empire continues its expansion. Shortly after opening on West Third in 2010, Olio ran into a smoke issue with the building because of the wood-fired oven. They eventually re-opened after sealing the shaft.

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