By Stacey Tucker (Contact / Staff Bio)
May 21, 2008 - 12:00 a.m. EST

CARO -- The pasta and pizza counterpart to the popular Caro ice cream shop, The Freezer, will soon be opening its doors.

The pizza and pasta restaurant, fittingly called The Oven, will open within the next couple of weeks.

Owned by the same couple, Ross and Linda Downing, the pair of businesses will go hand-in-hand offering a variety of hot dinner items to go well with the cool treats next door.

“I’m very excited,” Linda Downing said. “I think it’s going to be fun.

“You’ve got pizza and ice cream right there, two of the best things.”

The Oven, which is located where Abednego Books once stood, will offer pizza, a variety of pasta entrees, sandwiches, salads, baked pasta dishes and more.

The Oven will also offer luncheon and family style dinner options as well as pizza by the slice.

Ross Downing is the co-owner of the Lamplighter in Sebewaing and the Oasis Tavern in Caro, as well as The Freezer and The Oven.

Downing said once the couple heard that Abednego Books would be going out of business, they decided to opening up The Oven would be the best choice for them.

“Once I knew what I was going to do, I was ready to go,” Downing said. “If this takes off, I would like to add on and add seating.”

For now, the Oven only has room to order dinner while there is a door open to the Freezer for seating.

The Freezer has been open since 2005, and features soft-serve ice cream, many different kids of hand-dipped ice cream and a variety of hot foods including coney dogs, fish and barbecue sandwiches and soups.

Once open, The Oven’s hours will be Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Stacey Tucker is a staff writer for the Tuscola County Advertiser. She can be reached at tucker@tcadvertiser.com