The Abbey closes; owner looks for new operator

Days shy of three months after taking back her troubled foothills restaurant The Abbey, Sandy Ford is throwing in the towel.

Ford on Wednesday announced that she has closed The Abbey.

“I had hoped for a better outcome when I took over on July 2, 2014, but unfortunately, too much damage had been done,” Ford said in a letter she sent to the Star early Wednesday. “Despite our tireless efforts, we could not recover. And though we have to walk away from a restaurant we love, we walk away with pride because we know we tried absolutely everything in our power.”

Ford said she is exploring her options "to transfer ownership to a viable operator." No details were released Wednesday.

Ford got custody of the restaurant this summer as part of her divorce settlement with ex-husband Brian Metzger, whose company Metzger Family Restaurants operates Gio Taco downtown and Poppy's Kitchen at La Paloma Resort.

Metzger and Ford opened The Abbey in November 2010, the American comfort food sister to their northwest side restaurant Jax Kitchen. The Abbey was named after their daughter Abigale; Jax took its name from their son Jackson.

Metzger closed Jax in January, a month or so before opening Poppy's Kitchen. He is expected to open Jackson Tavern at Plaza Palomino on North Swan Road in November.

See the full story in Thursday's Star.