Christian Guevara serves customers during the lunch rush at Gabriel's of Santa Fe on Thursday. The restaurant recently changed hands, with Tracy and Brad Poynor its new owners.
Christian Guevara serves customers during the lunch rush at Gabriel's of Santa Fe on Thursday. The restaurant recently changed hands, with Tracy and Brad Poynor its new owners.
Brad Poynor has been in the restaurant business all his life.
Originally from Muleshoe, Texas, Poynor got his start in the industry working for the Leal family, which owns a chain of restaurants spread across West Texas and southeastern New Mexico. He then went to work for Bobby Cox, a restauranteur who owns chains such as Rosa’s Cafe, Taco Villa and Texas Burger.
It was working with Cox as a director of operations that Poynor saw the growth of Rosa’s — going from seven restaurants in 1995 when Cox purchased the chain to more than 50 locations.
So perhaps it only made sense that even in retirement, Poynor found himself running a restaurant of his own — this time as an owner, alongside his wife and business partner, Tracy Poynor. They are the new owners of Gabriel’s of Santa Fe, taking over the eatery from former owner Sydney Gabriel.
“I loved the position working with Bobby Cox for so closely and for such a long time, but it was just time to move on,” said Brad Poynor, 61. “I knew I wanted to retire in Santa Fe. I felt like I still have a lot of work in me. I feel good enough to keep working.”
Poynor said he has been traveling to Santa Fe from Texas most of his life, he said, since he was about 6. He introduced the city to Tracy about 10 years ago, and the two have been coming ever since.
Gabriel's of Santa Fe has changed hands, with Tracy and Brad Poynor taking over for former owner and founder Sydney Gabriel.
On their trips here, the Poynors would have meals at Gabriel’s — located about a mile south of Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino at 4 Banana Lane — and fell in love with its mix of Southwestern and Mexican flavors, plus the view from the restaurant’s patio.
Poynor said the couple saw Gabriel’s was for sale last July and by August had rented a house in Santa Fe. They closed on the deal in February.
“We fell in love with the place — fell in love with the view off the patio,” he said. “Just immediately wanted it.”
Poynor said the deal with Gabriel to acquire the restaurant came together while the former owner was in Canada. He said the two spoke the “same language” — Poynor as an operations guy working in the restaurant industry, Gabriel as an owner.
“I think we just connected quickly in terms of us both speaking restaurant operations,” Poynor said.
The Poynors haven’t changed much about the restaurant — and don’t have plans to. They are heavily involved with the operations, opening and closing the business every day.
“There’s not a day in the last three days that we haven’t opened and closed it ourself,” Brad Poynor said.
The Poynors said Gabriel’s has stood the test of time since its founding in 1993 because of the staff. Some have been at the restaurant for decades. Currently, they have more than three dozen workers — including the same chef from the previous ownership.
“I just can’t stress enough the crew that are here,” Poynor said. “It’s not easy when you get a new owner, but they’re really good at their jobs. Tracy and I would come in before we bought the restaurant just to watch them perform. They’re really good. The story of Gabriel’s to me is Sydney Gabriel and then the employees that are still here.”
Added Tracy Poynor: “We’re mesmerized by the crew. … We think they’re just the greatest.”
