Brock and Rachel Downs are carrying on the legacy of R’ Pizza Place at 104 S. Main St. in Columbiana after taking over ownership from Barb and Dave Roth in July. The business operated under the R’ Pizza Place name for 23 years after starting as a franchise location of a Wedgewood pizza company. (Photo by Stephanie Ujhelyi)
COLUMBIANA – Customers at R’ Pizza Place have seen minimal changes at their favorite pizzeria since Brock and Rachel Downs took over in July.
Co-owner Brock Downs said the couple is considering adding online ordering, delivery and a food truck in the future.
R’ Pizza Place has earned a reputation for making its dough fresh daily, and Rachel Downs said they plan to continue doing so using the same recipes.
“We have a pretty varied menu,” Brock Downs, who is in charge of the kitchen, explained:
In addition to traditional pizzas, R’ Pizza Place also offers specialties like “The Godfather,” which includes mushrooms, artichokes, kalamata olives, bacon, salami, red peppers, tomatoes, two types of cheese (mozzarella and cheddar), and a dash of sweet basil and a light marinara sauce.
Customers can also have their pizza completely pre-baked or pre-cooked so they can finish cooking it in their own oven.
R’ Pizza also offers Take N Bake pizzas.
Rachel Downs, who primarily manages service and the office, said salads are favorites. In addition to signature salads like steak, chicken and Cobb, R’ Pizza Place also offers an apple salad with apple vinaigrette dressing served with cinnamon breadsticks, as well as seasonal salads like berry and crab salad.
Various breadsticks, pizza rolls, starters and sandwiches round off the menu, as does a large selection of wines, beer, lemonades and teas.
They even offer gluten-free pizza options, including cauliflower crust, as well as low-carb pizza shells.
Barb and Dave Roth retired this summer and sold the business to the Downs after starting it more than three decades ago. Originally founded as a franchise location in Wedgewood, R’ Pizza Place came about after the Roths decided to offer pizza slices at lunchtime, which was a departure from the Wedgewood model and something that customers were interested in.
The Downs plan to continue offering the lunch option.
Brock Downs had worked in and managed the kitchen at R’ Pizza Place for twelve years, while Rachel Downs had also been employed by Roth for eleven years.
“We replaced Barb and Dave, but not the other Brock and Rachel,” Brock Downs, longtime chef and manager, explained. “We’re trying to get used to some new responsibilities.”
R’ Pizza Place is located at 104 S. Main St. in downtown Columbiana. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
To place a takeout order (delivery not currently available), call 330-482-1880.
For more information and the full menu, visit http://rpizzaplace.com
