Rich Abbott

Owner, West Village Tavern

He started out working for acclaimed restaurateur Frank Giuffrida at the Hilltop Steakhouse & Butcher Shop, then went to work with brothers Peter & Robert Derba at the Historic Towne Lynne House on Suntaug Lake in Lynnfield, MA. In 1994 he joined Thomas J Flatley at his Lynnfield property which sat on 100 acres, consisted of a 500-seat restaurant, PGA Certified 18-hole Golf club, 1000 seat ballroom and 200 room Hilton Hotel. In 1997 he joined the Back Bay Restaurant Group owned by Boston Restaurateur Charles F. Sarkis working in the American & Italian divisions. He was Regional Manager when Sarkis sold the company in 2012. Rich has been with the Wellesley Restaurant Group since 2016 & serves as Vice President of Operations. He lives in Andover with his wife Toni & his dog Maddox.