Unnamed pub set to open in New Town

Sounds like another bar – excuse me, “pub,” will be coming to New Town in the future! It’ll be interesting to see if this business venture actually pulls through, with the economic downturn and all. But I can’t complain about a business wanting to open in an already-standing building in Williamsburg, rather than building something new when there are so many unoccupied stores around these days.

American keen to make most of Brit pub closures

29 June, 2009

By Matt Eley

Business venture could see US pub kitted out with furniture from UK

An American businessman is looking to take advantage of pub closures in the UK by salvaging goods to create his own traditional pub.

While up to 50 pubs are closing every week in the UK Greg Pedersen is keen to open a British style pub in Williamsburg, Virginia – a town founded in 1607 with what he describes as “bags of English heritage”.

And to make it as authentic as possible he wants licensees on this side of the pond to help him furnish the pub.

He said: “The bar and most of all the fixtures will be from an original English pub. I envision an old English phone booth out front or maybe even functioning as the entrance to the pub.

“I want the menu to include predominantly British fare, yards and half yards of ale, darts and a piano player for nightly sing-a-longs.”

The pub is set to open up in the next 12 months in the New Town development of Williamsburg but as yet the pub does not have a name – something else Pedersen is looking for help with.

“I’d also like interesting signage and a suggested name would be great, especially if it has old unique signage to accompany it,” he said.

Pedersen’s runs his own marketing company and part owned golf business Nevada Bob’s but has never previously worked in pubs.

Despite this he is confident his venture will not go the way of the Brit pubs he is hoping helps to furnish the venue.

“I have read a lot in the press about pubs closing left right and centre in your part of the world. That is unfortunate but it may give me and my partner an opportunity to pick up some interesting stuff from the prior owners to use over here.

“Although the business climate is really tough here like it is everywhere, I think if you create something special or offer people an experience they won’t find anywhere else then you have a better chance of success.”

If you can help Greg with furniture or a pub name email gregped@yahoo.com

Good luck, Mr. Pedersen!

Chipotle coming to Williamsburg!!!

The only Chipotle Mexican Grill I’ve ever eaten at is the one in Short Pump, but I loved it! I love that it’s a casual eatery but serves good, filling, tasty food. I love the Subway-esque style of ordering. And I really love that they have vegetarian options! So when I read this new article from WY Daily about a Chipotle coming to Williamsburg, I was sooo excited! …Except when I read where it’s going to be. Sounds like it might be a pain to get in and out of, unless you’re coming from Bypass onto Richmond to be able to make a right. I hate making lefts off Richmond Road in that part of town, haha!

President Obama in Williamsburg – update!

WY Daily published an article this morning with more details about President Obama’s trip to Williamsburg.

Obama’s Coming Thursday; No Public Appearances Planned
WYDaily Staff

President Barack Obama will be visiting the Historic Triangle Thursday night, the White House Press Office has confirmed.

He’s scheduled to address the Democratic Caucus, who will convene at Kingsmill Resort Thursday through Saturday. The president is expected to fly into Newport News International Airport, then travel by helicopter to Williamsburg Jamestown Airport, then by motorcade into the resort.

At the moment there are no public opportunities to meet – or even see – the president, as the visit is limited to the evening address. President Obama will return to Washington, D.C. after the talk.

It’s a shame there won’t be opportunity to meet him, but he is a pretty busy guy, after all!

Obama to visit Williamsburg?

From this Google/AP page:

THURSDAY, Feb. 5: Williamsburg, Va. — Congressional Democrats hold their annual issues conference. President Barack Obama expected to attend. Through Feb. 7.

Woo boy! I bet there will be traffic beyond traffic!

I’m surprised I haven’t heard about this in any other news, though. For such a big name (the PRESIDENT!!!) I figured there would be more chatter about it. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see!

New addition to Presidents Park

If you’ve already been to Presidents Park, here’s your reason to return! I can’t wait to have a visit.

Obama bust planned at tourist attraction
Associated Press – January 19, 2009 10:25 AM ET

YORKTOWN, Va. (AP) – A York County tourist attraction that features giant busts of all U.S. presidents will begin a fundraising campaign this month to add a likeness of Barack Obama.

Everette H. Newman III, president of Presidents Park, says the concrete & steel sculpture will cost about $60,000. It will be 16 feet to 18 feet tall and weigh about 7,400 pounds.

Newman says he had hoped to have the bust in place before Tuesday’s inauguration. But the sculptor, David Adickes of Houston, didn’t like the original bust he designed for Obama.

Meanwhile, the park is creating an exhibit with newspaper clippings and magazine articles about Obama. Also, a life-size bust will go on display in a couple of weeks and remain until the big one arrives.

When I visited Presidents Park, I was really amazed at the sculptures. I went on a very hot, clear summer day, and had the sunburn afterwards to prove it. I suggest going on a beautiful day, or if going on a sunny day, wear sunscreen, bring an umbrella or a big hat, and a large water bottle!, since the sculptures are outdoors and there was only one gazebo in the middle of the park for shade and water. Otherwise, I’d say Presidents Park is a great place to visit – you can learn a lot of interesting facts about the presidents, have a leasurely walk through their large heads, and it’s really not that expensive and you can find discount coupons in regularly published tourist pamphlets. Check out the official website for more info!

Charlton’s Coffeehouse

Sounds like another new building will be coming to Colonial Williamsburg! From the Daily Press:

Coffeehouse at CW will rise again on its original grounds
Historic-trades and other workers will begin framing the re-created building today.

By TYRA M. VAUGHN

247-7870

December 20, 2008

WIILIAMSBURG

— Historic Richard Charlton’s Coffeehouse will make its way back to Colonial Williamsburg piece by piece today, with the help of a few dozen skilled workers.

Historic-trades carpenters — assisted by 15 civil engineering students from the Virginia Military Institute Corps of Cadets and members of the Timber Framers Guild — will help frame the re-created colonial building. They’ll also move pieces of the building, using technology from the period, to its original site at the east end of Duke of Gloucester Street.

Charlton’s Coffeehouse, a story-and-a-half wood-frame building with a porch over a brick cellar, served Williamsburg residents and politicians from 1755 to 1769. The re-created coffeehouse will serve patrons coffee, tea and hot chocolate when the building is completed, which is scheduled for late 2009.

The workers will raise the timber-framed south wall and the second-floor framing of the coffeehouse today without the aid of modern machinery.

They’ll use muscle and A-frame cranes — a lifting technology common to the 18th century.

The south wall is scheduled to be raised and put into position between 9 and 10 a.m. today.

At 10 a.m., the first of five timber tie beams that form the second-floor framing will be lifted, placed in position and secured, according to Colonial Williamsburg.

The installation of the tie beams will take about an hour for each beam.

The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation received a $5 million grant from Forrest E. Mars Jr. and his wife, members of the chocolate-making Mars family, to help re-create the coffeehouse.

Jim Bradley, spokesman for the foundation, said this was first full re-creation of a Duke of Gloucester Street building in decades.

Colonial Williamsburg’s historic brickyard masonry-trades staff molded and fired several thousand bricks for the project, worked on the foundations and helped complete the first stage of the chimney.

Others have worked to prepare the wall timbers for final assembly at the coffeehouse.

When the walls are in place, carpenters will enclose the building with clapboard siding and shingle the roof, Bradley said.

Once completed, the coffeehouse should be a replica of the original.

Like its 18th-century use, the cellar will be used for beverage preparation and storage space, Bradley said.

In addition, the cellar will be used to house a modern air-conditioning, heating and ventilation system.

History of Charlton’s Coffeehouse
• Richard Charlton, a Williamsburg wigmaker, converted a storehouse into a coffeehouse. Adjacent to the Colonial Capitol, Charlton’s Coffeehouse was a hotbed of social activity leading to the American Revolution.

• One of the more dramatic encounters of that period took place on the porch of the coffeehouse in 1765, when an angry crowd protesting the Stamp Act confronted the appointed collector for Virginia, George Mercer. The royal governor, Francis Fauquier, saved Mercer. Mercer later resigned his position, and the Stamp Act was repealed by the British Parliament the following year.

Source: Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

A colonial coffeehouse? Very nice, very nice! Looking forward to this one.

More Busch Gardens news!

From the Daily Press:

Head to Busch Gardens if you want to go to Sesame Street
The new Sesame Street-themed children’s play area is scheduled to open in the spring.

By TYRA M. VAUGHN | 247-7870
December 11, 2008

JAMES CITY — Busch Gardens Williamsburg officials announced Wednesday the name of a new Sesame Street-themed children’s play area, an effort to expand the park’s kid-friendly rides and attractions.

Sesame Street Forest of Fun at Busch Gardens, which is currently under construction, is scheduled to open at the Williamsburg-area theme park in the spring.

Busch Gardens officials announced plans for the play area in August.

It will feature four new kid-sized rides.

One of the rides includes a junior roller coaster that parents and children can ride together.

Forest of Fun will also have wet and dry play areas, a photography studio where pictures can be taken with Sesame Street characters and several stages for performances by the some of television show’s cast.

In addition, the play area will have a Sesame Street themed restaurant and offer 4-D movies.

Forest of Fun is a partnership between Busch Gardens and Sesame Workshop, the non-profit organization behind the Sesame Street television program and its initiatives.

Peter van Roden, vice president of themed entertainment at Sesame Workshop said he was “thrilled to partner with Busch Gardens to offer such a wonderful immersive experience for the entire family.”

The new attraction adds to Busch Gardens’ current lineup of kid-friendly rides and attractions, which includes the Land of the Dragons play area and other junior rides.

This is the second time in less than week that Busch Gardens announced changes to the theme park in 2009.

On Dec. 4, park officials announced the addition of Christmas Town, a holiday-themed attraction that will transform the grounds into a traditional holiday setting in 2009 featuring live entertainment and rides beneath Christmas lights. The park will open for select days in November and December 2009 for the event.

Rides and attractions that can be found at Sesame Street Forest of Fun at Busch Gardens:

• Elmo’s Castle, includes an interactive stage and wet play area

• Prince Elmo’s Spire, a shot-n-drop ride

• Grover’s Alpine Express, a roller coaster

• Bert and Ernie’s Loch Adventure, a flume ride

• Oscar’s Whirly Worms, a rock-n-tug ride

• Oscar’s Yucky Forest, a dry play area

Even though I grew up in Pennsylvania and visited Sesame Place, one of the AB theme parks, when I was little, I still never really made the connection all the times going to Busch Gardens that Sesame Street was part of the theme. All the countries at Busch Gardens are very heritage oriented, focused on the food, wares, rides, and shows moreso than a brand of any type. Sure, they have Jack Hanna’s name in there, but it’s associated with animals, so it makes sense. I just can’t wrap my brain around how Sesame Street fits in with Busch Gardens Europe, as it’s recently been renamed. A play section for kids in a dragon theme? Yes. A play section for kids with a muppet theme?… I guess I’ll have to wait till it’s open to see it. Then I’ll be able to judge whether it fits. Hopefully, in the fashion of Busch Gardens, they will fit it into the existing park without cheesing it up too much – the ride names sound like they’re hinting towards that route, anyway.

Busch Gardens Christmastown

Coming in 2009. Darn, we have to wait another whole year!

From the Daily Press:

Christmas coming to Busch Gardens
The park will open in November and December in 2009 to premiere a holiday-themed wonderland.

By TYRA M. VAUGHN and MIKE HOLTZCLAW | 247-7870 | 928-6479
December 5, 2008

JAMES CITY — With three weeks left before Christmas, Busch Gardens officials peeled back the wrapping on its plans to transform the park into a holiday winter wonderland — but visitors will have to wait until next year to experience it.

On Thursday, park officials announced plans to premiere Christmas Town in 2009, a holiday-themed attraction that will transform the grounds into a traditional holiday setting featuring live entertainment and rides beneath Christmas lights.

It will be the first time the Williamsburg-area theme park will have a December schedule since it opened in 1975.

In Christmas Town, visitors will be able to experience food, shopping and holiday traditions of the five European countries — England, Scotland, Ireland, France and Germany — around which the theme park is based. However, park officials noted that the availability of some rides and attractions will be dependent on weather.

Busch Gardens General Manager and Executive Vice President John Reilly made the announcement Thursday in the park’s Abbey Stone Theater, with twinkling lights, fake snow and strolling carolers on the stage in the background.

He said the Christmas Town theme took two years to coordinate and plan.

“We’ll kick off a season-long celebration for family and friends to gather for Christmas,” Reilly said.

Christmas Town will start on Nov. 27, 2009, and officials plan to have the park open only Fridays through Sundays from 4-9 p.m. for the first few weeks. Then, from Dec. 18-27, 2009, the park will be open from 4-9 p.m. every night, except for Christmas night, when the park will be closed.

Admission will be $19.95, and advance tickets will go on sale in January. Guests with one- and two-year Busch Gardens passes will pay half-price for Christmas Town admission and will park for free.

To find out more about Christmas Town, visit www.christmastown.com.

What do you think about this new development at Busch Gardens?

Trader Joe’s

Williamsburg is finally getting a Trader Joe’s! While shopping at the Newport News location, friendly staff told us the one in New Town is scheduled to open September 26th. I can’t wait!

* Updated to add: John Womeldorf from MrWilliamsburg.com recently posted photos of the site with more details. Check it out!

Vegan Restaurant coming to Williamsburg!

I was really excited when I read about the vegan restaurant looking to come to Williamsburg.

The following is copied+pasted from the Daily Press:

~~~~

Restaurateur puts vegan cafe on JCC’s plate
The market and cafe will also offer classes on vegetarian and vegan cooking.

By SETH FREEDLAND | 247-7840
May 15, 2008

JAMES CITY – Care for a lunch of wheat gluten with organic fruit juice?

This meal — and many others like it — will be the food of choice offered by a proposed cafe for James City County. The restaurant and an attached market will offer vegetarian, vegan and “raw” food to locals and tourists looking for something different.

Green Earth Market and Cafe is the idea of Sydney Duvall, who moved to Virginia from Ohio and was disappointed to find the Historic Triangle without an eatery that provides the “dietary flair” she enjoys, Duvall said. After graduating from a vegetarian/vegan culinary school in New York City last fall, she plans to bring her veggie love to the area later this year.

A quick, basic primer: Vegetarians are those who don’t eat meat; vegans don’t eat animal products, including eggs and milk; and “raw foodists” primarily dine on uncooked, unprocessed and usually organic food. Green Earth will offer all three.

For one example of a likely entree, seitan — also known as wheat gluten or gluten meat — is made by washing out the starch from wheat flour, leaving behind a meatless, fatless protein substitute with the flavor and consistency of meat.

“I am going out on a limb here in Williamsburg, to see if people are ready for it,” Duvall said. “That’s the chance you take. I’m just tired of fillers and preservatives in our food. Once you start eating fresher and lighter, it’s kind of addictive.”

Duvall would not discuss the ongoing negotiations over her targeted property, but her correspondence with James City County planners lists her location as the junction of Ironbound and Jamestown roads. County planners have told Duvall that her plans will require special use permits and public hearings.

Green Earth will also offer cooking classes to help people understand that vegetarian cooking doesn’t have to be flavorless, Duvall said. She plans to be the restaurant’s raw food chef, and will hire another chef for the lion’s share of the cooking.

The cafe will seat 60 inside and 20 outside, according to the county paperwork. The market will offer foods such as wheatgrass and organic juices, but probably not perishables, Duvall said.

Duvall, who has a daughter at the College of William and Mary, said she hopes to be up and running within six to eight months.

“I think this will be targeted more toward locals … but a lot of people who travel don’t have a lot of choices,” Duvall said. “There just aren’t a lot of healthy cooked meals available. All meat and potatoes — that’s the old mind-set.”

~~~~~

Tell me that doesn’t sound awesome! With the whole “green” trend going around, I think this area could be a prime market for it. I, for one, am totally excited to check it out when it opens.

News from Prime Outlets

Shopaholics, rejoice! Williamsburg is getting MORE shopping!

The new Ewell Station addition of Prime Outlets is scheduled to open the week of April 18th. Williamsburg shopaholics will be happy to find new stores such as ALDO Shoes, American Eagle Outfitters, Burberry, Charlotte Russe, Disney Outlet, Icon Sunglasses, Juicy Couture, Kate Spade, Kenneth Cole, Lucky Brand Jeans, True Religion, Papaya, PUMA, Sketchers, and Tommy Bahama.

What strikes me as odd are the additions of Bath & Body Works, Journeys, and Pac Sun – they already have storefronts in New Town. I’m curious to see if these new stores will be in addition to those already existing, or if they are anxious to get away from what I assume are high rents in New Town. Only time will tell!

The new food options for Prime Outlet shoppers include China Max, Frankie’s Deli, and Sbarro’s. I am curious to see how these restaurants fare in competition with the existing restaurants. Sbarro’s is joining the smattering of Italian restaurants in the area, including Giuseppe’s Italian Cafe and Victor’s Pizza and Deli across the street, and China Max will have to compete with Grand Shanghai and Hayashi restaurants. I’ve never been to a Frankie’s Deli, but there’s already a Subway in Ewell Station. See more restaurants around Ewell Station at Yahoo! Maps.

Thankfully, there will be three new public restroom areas and LOTS of new parking, so that sounds like wonderful news on it’s own!

In other Prime Outlets news: On March 2nd, the Coach outlet reported a break-in, with a broken window and $1600 in merchandise missing. Brooks Brothers is renovating and should reopen 3/17, and Columbia Sportswear Outlet is coming in where Mikasa used to be on 3/28.

This post couldn’t be completely about shopping and consumerism, so for your educational knowledge, read about the man who Ewell Station is named for, Benjamin S. Ewell.

Sources: Daily Press 1, Daily Press 2.

Something new in store for Busch Gardens?

After looking at this picture, what do you think the new plans for these buildings at Busch Gardens will be?

What would you like to see be added to Busch Gardens?