Local Company Pursuing Purchase of Abby's Legendary Pizza Chain

Lone Rock Resources and Abby’s Legendary Pizza announced last week that Lone Rock will purchase 100% equity ownership of the 36 Abby’s restaurants throughout Oregon and Washington. There are five Douglas County locations along with the Abby’s corporate office which is located in Roseburg along with some offices in Eugene. Originally founded by Roseburg residents Abby Broughton and Bob Harrell, the company will celebrate its 57th anniversary this year. Broughton and Harell sold the business in 1987 to the current owners. “We are in the process of buying it,” Lone Rock Resources CEO Toby Luther said. “It’ll probably be a couple months.” The sale to Lone Rock will bring back ownership to Douglas County and specifically Roseburg. “They're not local owners but the corporate offices are between here and Eugene so their headquarters are here and they’re here frequently,” Luther said. “I have a lot of respect for the owners, and am also excited to have Abby’s back under local ownership.” Lone Rock owns 150,000 acres of timberland in Southwestern Oregon. “We’re excited to be owners,” Luther said. “Our diversification strategy began 12 years ago and we began discussions with Abby’s at the end of 2018. Our core business is still our timberland, but we own real estate and things like that. This keeps Abby’s in local ownership which that was the goal, they wanted to sell it to a local group who would keep it a long time and I think that would be good fit.” “We are very excited with this opportunity to further our commitment to this area and continue Abby’s commitment to its customers,” Luther said. “We fully appreciate the long-term operation, experience, and growth of the Abby’s business. Over the past three years we’ve visited every Abby’s location and have fallen in love with the high quality employees, loyal customers and family-oriented business model.” The companies plan to continue Abby’s 57-year-old brand, staffing and locations. “Their investment will take the company to even greater heights, and provide our one-thousand employees more opportunities to grow within the company,” says Mills Sinclair, one of the principal owners of the company. “We’ve been working with Lone Rock for three years and we all believe this means Abby’s will continued to be headquartered in Roseburg for generations to come.” “This is the beginning of the next chapter of Abby’s,” says Sinclair. “I have no doubt Abby’s will continue to thrive and grow in Roseburg and throughout the Pacific Northwest, just as we have since Abby Broughton and Bob Harrell started the company in 1964.” Lone Rock Resources is a family-owned company founded in Roseburg in 1950. Originally timber based, today the company has a variety of investments and employs over 110 people in Douglas County. Abby’s operates thirty-six restaurants in Oregon and Washington.