WILLIAMSBURG 一 After decades of serving seafood and other fare in Williamsburg, the Whaling Company will close its doors for good Aug. 28, ending a run that included employees who spent more than 25 years at the restaurant and multiple generations of the same families working there.
The closure was announced on social media. Owner Stephen York said the decision was made by the property’s new owners, not him.
“The group that bought the property made it clear that they wanted to develop the site. And this was three years ago, so we knew it was coming,” York said. “So not my decision, not any of our decisions.”
This hasn’t stopped the Whaling Company from trying to make the best of it. An employee fundraiser will be held Aug. 29, the day after regular operations cease, at the restaurant at 494 McLaws Circle. Food will be cooked and served until it runs out. Tickets are $100 for food or $200 with alcohol included, and organizers are asking guests to purchase tickets at the restaurant in advance.
In addition to the fundraiser, the restaurant’s kitchen equipment is being auctioned through Fred Wilson Auction. The auction ends Aug. 28.
York said he is unlikely to reopen the Whaling Company at another location, though he is not ruling it out. For now, he is focused on finishing a book about his experience running the Whaling Company during the pandemic and over the past six years, and taking care of his health.
“We’re hoping people will support us on our way out here as best as they can,” he said.
