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The walls and ceilings of The Globe & Laurel are covered with Marine Corps and law enforcement memorabilia. |
By KELLY HANNON
The unofficial culinary home of Quantico Marine Corps Base and the FBI Academy is moving from Prince William to North Stafford.
The Globe & Laurel, a family-owned restaurant that serves civilians alongside a loyal crowd of Marines and FBI Academy staff and students, will open June 6 on U.S. 1 in Stafford, two miles south of the National Museum of the Marine Corps.
A highway expansion project on U.S. 1 in Prince William forced the restaurant's owners, retired Marine Corps Maj. Richard "Rick" Spooner and his wife, Gloria, to either close or relocate.
They decided to move.
"I'm the luckiest guy in the world. How many 82-year-olds get a new lease on life?" Spooner asked Monday, as he prepared to meet contractors at the new site.
The Spooners had been hunting for a new spot for months when Stafford County staff mentioned a site was available on U.S. 1 in Boswell's Corner.
The new Globe & Laurel will have one major difference from the current location--extra space. Today's Globe & Laurel has a tiny parking lot, two dining rooms and no separate area for large parties.
The new restaurant will eventually have four dining rooms, a large room for meetings and special events, and an outdoor patio.
Spooner is committed to re-creating the restaurant's distinctive decor of military memorabilia.
The couple will move thousands of patches adhered to the current restaurant's ceiling. The patches have been donated by dining patrons visiting Quantico from around the world.
"We're going to move everything that's in the place. That doesn't mean it will all be up overnight. It's going to take months," Spooner said.
The restaurant's new address will be 3987 Jefferson Davis Highway. The building formerly housed restaurants The Keep and Phillys.
Stafford's Economic Development Authority is helping the restaurant relocate with $50,000 for renovation assistance at the new site, and $33,000 annually over the next three years.
"They are putting so much work into the building," said Cathy Riddle, Stafford County spokeswoman.
The Globe & Laurel will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
The new location will also put the restaurant close to Quantico Corporate Center, a new campus of office buildings, and Interstate 95.
Stafford supervisor Mark Dudenhefer, a retired Marine officer, said the restaurant is a "Marine Corps icon" that will draw diners to Stafford.
"We're really, really excited," Dudenhefer said.
The feeling is returned.
"I've never felt so welcome before. They've really gone all out," Spooner said.
Kelly Hannon: 540/374-5436
Email: khannon@freelancestar.com
