The Spice & Tea Exchange of Williamsburg will be celebrating its new ownership with a grand reopening ceremony this weekend.
The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday with a ribbon cutting ceremony with City of Williamsburg Vice Mayor Paul Freiling.
Until its 7 p.m. closing, The Spice & Tea Exchange will offer tastings, various giveaways and a raffle for a $50 store gift card to any customer that spends at least $25 in the store on Saturday.
Originally owned and operated by Laura and Alan Sullivan, The Spice & Tea Exchange opened in 2012 at its location on Prince George Street.
By 2015, the Sullivans were looking to fully retire and gave full ownership of the store to Heather Hulbert in October.
While Hulbert took over the store late last year, she said the store waited for a grand reopening ceremony to take place because of the busy holiday season. She also wanted to take some time to “get her feet wet” after spending eight years working in healthcare.
Hulbert pegged her “weight loss journey” that began five years ago, during which she lost more than 100 pounds, as the beginning of her new career aspirations.
“Within that time I learned to not eat fast food and how to cook at home for my entire family, not just myself,” she said. “So going into this, not only did I have a passion for food and cooking, but it was also an opportunity for me to have a better schedule. When I worked in healthcare prior, I worked mostly night and weekends. With three girls, it was hard to uphold.”
Hulbert’s mother works for the corporate offices of The Spice & Tea Exchange and introduced her to the store’s various spices and teas during her weight loss. With a new passion for cooking, operating a store that specializes in cooking supplies seemed like a perfect fit for Hulbert.
A native of Tappahannock, Hulbert said Williamsburg business owners and locals have been welcoming and have embraced the store’s new ownership.
She sees Saturday’s grand opening ceremony as a way to give back to the community that has helped her along during her transition.
