Sunday, November 10, 2024

Williamsburg ReStore gets a royal visit

Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, visited the Williamsburg ReStore on May 23. (WYDaily/Courtesy of Habitat for Humanity Peninsula & Greater Williamsburg)
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, visited the Williamsburg ReStore on May 23. (WYDaily/Courtesy of Habitat for Humanity Peninsula & Greater Williamsburg)

Just a few days after the royal wedding, Williamsburg was graced with a royal experience of its own.

Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester and cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, stopped by the Williamsburg’s Habitat for Humanity Restore on May 23. The duke is the royal patron for Habitat for Humanity in the United Kingdom and, after learning Williamsburg was home to the sixth top-producing restore in the United States, decided to make a visit, according to a release from Habitat for Humanity Peninsula & Greater Williamsburg.

“He was just amazed at the way the store changed in just an hour,” said Janet V. Green, the chief executive officer for Habitat for Humanity Peninsula & Greater Williamsburg. “When he walked in, there was a table he had admired and, by the time he left, there was already a sold sticker on it.”

The duke’s visit was not announced as per a request from Kensington Palace for safety precautions, so when he arrived at the store he was able to see it in its normal daily activity, according to Green.

Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester, is patron for Habitat for Humanity in the United Kingdon and during his visit to Williamsburg, wanted to see the local ReStore that had been named sixth in the nation. (WYDaily/Courtesy of Habitat for Humanity Peninsula & Greater Williamsburg)
Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester, is patron for Habitat for Humanity in the United Kingdon and during his visit to Williamsburg, wanted to see the local ReStore that had been named sixth in the nation. (WYDaily/Courtesy of Habitat for Humanity Peninsula & Greater Williamsburg)

A tour of the 2,500-square-foot facility for the duke included seeing the front sales floor, the drive-thru donation center, the processing center, and the logistics and calling center.

The staff also discussed how the store provides funding for affordable housing as well as recycled materials to keep out of landfills.

“He said ‘one man’s discards is another man’s treasure’ and was impressed by the way we use these materials that would otherwise end up in our landfills,” Green said.

The Williamsburg store was named sixth of about 1,000 stores across the nation based on net sales and gross profits, according to Green.

To learn more, visit Habitat for Humanity Peninsula & Greater Williamsburg online.

Alexa Doiron
Alexa Doironhttp://wydaily.com
Alexa Doiron is a multimedia reporter for WYDaily. She graduated from Roanoke College and is currently working on a master’s degree in English at Virginia Commonwealth University. Alexa was born and raised in Williamsburg and enjoys writing stories about local flair. She began her career in journalism at the Warhill High School newspaper and, eight years later, still loves it. After working as a news editor in Blacksburg, Va., Alexa missed Williamsburg and decided to come back home. In her free time, she enjoys reading Jane Austen and playing with her puppy, Poe. Alexa can be reached at alexa@localvoicemedia.com.

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