Wednesday, April 30, 2025

These Colonial Williamsburg retail shops are closing permanently next year

Members of the Colonial Williamsburg Fifes & Drums emerge from the Governor's Palace at 9 a.m. after a live Fox News broadcast. After seeing news on the internet about a Fox and Friends visit to the Historic Area, about a dozen protesters took to the Palace Green, carrying signs and occasionally shouting at Fox News crews. (WYDaily/Sarah Fearing)
Members of the Colonial Williamsburg Fifes & Drums emerge from the Governor’s Palace at 9 a.m. after a live Fox News broadcast. After seeing news on the internet about a Fox and Friends visit to the Historic Area, about a dozen protesters took to the Palace Green, carrying signs and occasionally shouting at Fox News crews. (WYDaily/Sarah Fearing)

While Colonial Williamsburg has several closures for maintenance at some of its attractions this winter, a few attractions are set to close permanently.

Effective Jan. 1, the Post Office will close permanently along with the store at the Colonial Nursery. The Colonial Nursery will continue operation as a Historic Trades interpretation site, according to a news release from  Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

The Mary Dickinson Shop will be open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays through the end of January, then will close permanently as well.

After Jan. 30, items sold at the Mary Dickinson Shop will transition to Tarpley, Thompson and Company, another Colonial Williamsburg shop also on Duke of Gloucester Street.

Tavern dinnerware will be sold at the John Greenhow Store, and nursery items at the Market House.

Items from the Post Office, like Williamsburg postmarks, will be sold at the Prentis Store.

Renovations and maintenance

While some Colonial Williamsburg attractions are closing for good, others are only closing temporarily for maintenance or upgrades.

Here are the details and dates for the work:

  • Capitol: Closed for regular maintenance Jan. 2-4
  • Governor’s Palace: Closed for regular maintenance Jan. 7 to Feb. 1
  • Printing Office and Bindery: Closed for maintenance Feb. 4-8
  • Magazine: Closed for maintenance Feb. 19 to March 1
  • James Anderson Blacksmith Shop and Public Armoury complex (including Tin Shop): Closed for maintenance March 4-15 (Leather Works will continue operations at the Magazine during this time)
  • Cabinetmarker: Closed for a conference Jan. 16-21
  • Joinery: Closed for conference Jan. 8, 17-20, 22, and 29, but open Jan. 16 and 23
  • Kings Arms and Shields taverns: Closed Jan. 1 to Feb. 28
  • Christiana Campbell’s: Closed Jan. 1 to March 14
  • Prentis Store: Closed for maintenance Feb. 11-15
  • Governor’s Inn: Closed for the season Dec. 10 to March 14
  • Hennage Auditorium: Closed as part of art museums expansion Jan. 2 to mid-April (Programming will be offered in the Goode Education Studio and galleries around the museums during this time)
Sarah Fearing
Sarah Fearing
Sarah Fearing is the Assistant Editor at WYDaily. Sarah was born in the state of Maine, grew up along the coast, and attended college at the University of Maine at Orono. Sarah left Maine in October 2015 when she was offered a job at a newspaper in West Point, Va. Courts, crime, public safety and civil rights are among Sarah’s favorite topics to cover. She currently covers those topics in Williamsburg, James City County and York County. Sarah has been recognized by other news organizations, state agencies and civic groups for her coverage of a failing fire-rescue system, an aging agriculture industry and lack of oversight in horse rescue groups. In her free time, Sarah enjoys lazing around with her two cats, Salazar and Ruth, drinking copious amounts of coffee and driving places in her white truck.

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