An upscale downtown Smyrna restaurant in a restored building has closed its doors.
Town Manager David Hugg announced in a letter posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page that the Inn at Duck Creek had closed as of Tuesday.
“Doors will be shut temporarily as the Town of Smyrna Economic Development team, along with the building’s owner, i3a LLC, and former operators, actively seek a new operator for the space,” Hugg wrote in a letter that was posted on the restaurant’s website.
Rick Ferrell, Economic Development consultant for the town, is already talking with several restaurateurs about concepts for the turnkey location. Smyrna hopes to attract a restaurant group who will take over operation with a new concept and continue to grow Downtown Smyrna’s dining district, Hugg wrote.
“The historic Phillips Building, where the Inn at Duck Creek is located, was renovated in 2015 in large part thanks to a revolving loan program funded by the USDA and made available by the Smyrna Redevelopment Authority. The project made use of various incentives offered by the Economic Development Committee,” Hugg wrote.
In the letter, Hugg noted that the loan for the building is current and the building is not at risk.
“This is a sad time for us as we thought we could survive the slow summer and thrive throughout the rest of the year, but unfortunately that did not happen,” Inn at Duck Creek partner Donna Ignasz posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page.
The restaurant had earned middling diner reviews on Yelp and TripAdvisor. The Inn at Duck Creek served lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch and advertised farm to table food.
Smyrna remains one of the fastest-growing areas of the state and recently saw the opening of the Brick Works Brewing and Eats on DuPont Highway. Restaurateur Kevin Reading moved north after successfully operating upscale Abbott’s Grill in Milford. He also opened a second Abbott’s location in Laurel.
